The Nebraska Community Foundation works with community, organizational and donor-advised affiliated funds serving 255 communities located in 78 counties. NCF and its affiliated funds have reinvested $243.2 million in Nebraska since 1994.

New Fiscal Year, New Grantmaking Opportunities

The 2016 fiscal year for Nebraska Community Foundation began on July 1st. By now, all affiliated fund primary contacts should have received year-end financial statements by mail. Included in these statements is the amount available for granting from any endowed accounts. With that information, now is a great time to meet with your committee to strategize grantmaking opportunities. Be sure to get in contact with your fund development coordinator for some suggestions about strategic grantmaking!

Economic Development Peer Learning Session is Aug. 27

If you haven’t already, save the date! On Thursday, August 27th, NCF will host a peer learning session in Stuart and O’Neill focused on economic development strategies used by affiliated fund leaders in Holt County. All affiliated funds are invited to participate, but there will be a limited number of spaces available. Stay tuned for more information.

Key Investments Spark Campaign in Columbus

Columbus was the scene of an exciting press conference recently announcing a $2.4-million investment from two local families and The Sherwood Foundation creating a matching pool for four capital projects currently in progress in the community. The grants will flow through the Columbus Area Community Foundation Fund and the FAC will have $300,000 for other community collaboration and quality of life improvement projects and programs. Read the announcement about the Columbus Quality of Life Projects Campaign.

Newsletter Celebrates Diller Philanthropy

The culture of philanthropy in Diller is recognized far and wide through the Diller Community Foundation Fund’s annual publication, “Hometown Connections,” which highlights all of the ways many volunteers, nonprofits and donors give back to the community. Check out the 2015 Diller newsletter and consider how your affiliated fund could cultivate your community’s spirit of generosity in a similar way. Talk to your fund development coordinator or NCF’s Communications Director, Reggi Carlson, for some more ideas.

Partnerships Spur Red Cloud Economic Development

With the help of the Nebraska Community Foundation and other partners, the Red Cloud Community Foundation Fund has taken significant development leaps in the past few years to optimize community economic development opportunities. As a result of building its unrestricted endowment, doing excellent donor cultivation and stewardship, completing Action Planning, and partnering with two NCF donor-advised funds benefiting Red Cloud, the Fund has focused its attention on building an economic development strategy focused on heritage tourism and high-quality affordable childcare. Read the full story on page one of the Summer 2015 NCF Newsletter.

Affiliated Fund E-Newsletter

Peer Learning August 27th

We’re excited to announce another peer learning opportunity for affiliated fund leaders later this summer. On Thursday, August 27th, NCF will be hosting a peer learning session in Stuart and O’Neill. We’ll be exploring the successful economic development strategies of affiliated fund leaders in Holt County. You can find a summary of their success on page 16 of NCF’s annual report. All affiliated funds are invited to participate, but there will be a limited number of spaces available. Make sure to save the date on your calendars and keep an eye out for more details in the coming weeks.

NCF Board Visits Boone County

Your Nebraska Community Foundation board of directors meets quarterly in affiliated fund communities throughout the state. Did you know that 12 of your 18 board members are also committee members of NCF affiliated funds? They travel across the state and sometimes across the country to participate. In June the board and some staff members were guests of the generous folks of Boone County Area Foundation Fund. We appreciated the wonderful hospitality. Take a look at some of what’s been achieved in Boone County!

Planned Gift Considerations

Here’s a tip to share with your donors who are planned giving prospects. They might consider a bequest of any property that would cause tax problems to other beneficiaries. That generally means items of income earned by a person before death, but paid to his/her estate after death. The tax owed on this type of property can create problems for the beneficiaries who inherit it. Such property would be included in both the taxpayer’s gross estate and in the estate’s income. Examples include:

Interest on U.S. Savings Bonds

Non-qualified annuities

IRA retirement plans and other retirement plans

A popular way for many Nebraskan’s to make a gift to their hometown is to change the beneficiary designation on an IRA to include their hometown’s affiliated fund. Here is a link to NCF’s information on gifts of retirement plans. Contact NCF’s director of advancement and gift planning, Jim Gustafson, at (402) 323-7341 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more information.

Whistleblower Policy Amended

As Nebraska Community Foundation continues to grow and welcome new people committed to our mission, it is important that everyone is aware of the high standards of business and personal ethics by which we conduct our work. NCF has recently amended its Whistleblower Policy to include examples of wrongful activities that all NCF representatives – including staff, volunteers, and contractors – must report. The Policy provides clear direction on how and to whom a report should be made. Fund Advisory Committees are required to review the Whistleblower Policy at least once a year. Now that the Policy has been amended, why not put this on the agenda for your next meeting. You can download it or share the link here.

NCF Annual Training: Thursday, November 5th

Though summer has just officially begun, staff at Nebraska Community Foundation are already busy planning the fall annual training. Following the great feedback from last year, this training promises to be engaging and motivating for all affiliated fund leaders. So before your calendar fills up, make sure to save the date for Thursday, November 5th in Columbus!

Jeff Yost Speaks at ABCD Festival

The Nebraska Community Foundation story and theory of change has resonated with many people for some time now. Recently, President and CEO Jeff Yost had the opportunity to share that story with 180 attendees from 19 countries at the “ABCD Festival” in Blackpool, England. Nebraska Community Foundation was honored to be a part of this incredible event and continues to practice asset-based community development (ABCD) with all affiliated funds. Listen to Jeff’s presentation here.

Keep Up the Good Work

Hats off to all of the affiliated fund members lately who have been diligent in collecting sales tax when applicable. Nebraska Community Foundation’s most recent audit included high marks in this area—a big thanks for this is due to the hard work of many volunteers who’ve been very thorough in this area. If you have any questions about sales tax policies, please see the NCF website or contact your affiliated fund development coordinator.

Get the Meeting, Get the Gift

Summer is a good time to set up personal appointments with potential donors. Before you pick up the phone though, consider this: have you ever thought about why your potential donor would want to meet with you? This can vary from person to person, so don’t become dependent on the same “ask,” but tailor it for each individual. This will give you the best chances for securing a meeting…and a gift! For more, check out this article from “Asking Matters.”

June 11, 2015

Affiliated Fund E-Newsletter

NCF Staff Promotions

Two NCF affiliated fund coordinators have been promoted to new leadership positions. Greta Leach is NCF’s Director of Community Development Philanthropy. Greta will assume additional responsibilities for achieving strategic goals for our affiliated funds’ development and growth. Greta will continue to serve as the primary contact and resource person for a number of affiliated funds.

Karl Shaddock has been promoted to Assistant Director of Community Development Philanthropy. Karl will help Nebraska communities use philanthropy and asset-based approaches as tools for rural community development. Karl will also continue to serve as the primary contact and resource person for a number of community-based funds. Find out a little more about these talented and dedicated staff members!

Capitalize on Summer Events

Recently we have noticed a number of community-based affiliated funds taking advantage of newspaper ads targeting people coming back to town for alumni events and other seasonal activities. It’s OK – in fact a good idea – to pay for ads now and then, because many of our local papers are very generous with coverage over the course of the year. Scroll down this page to see some examples of ads for community funds.

Take Photos of Your Grants in Action

We cannot stress enough the importance of photographing projects and programs you are supporting with your grants. A good photo of the good work your fund is doing is just about the best advertising you can get. Get some action shots; don’t just line people up. With the high quality of digital cameras – even in our cell phones – there is no excuse for having “nothing to show” for all your efforts. Here are some tips that will make your photos come alive

Welcoming Young People

Sunday’s Omaha World-Herald published a great editorial citing numerous individuals and organizations (including NCF) that offer a positive outlook on population trends in Nebraska. For example, 50 of Nebraska’s small-town and frontier counties experienced a notable net in-migration of 30- and 40-somethings. Yes, in-migration…and that’s just one data point in an article that offers a refreshingly different viewpoint about Nebraska’s people and communities. Read it and you’ll recognize a number of NCF and affiliated funds’ attraction efforts!

Thoughts on Youth Returning Home

NCF President & CEO Jeff Yost recently shared his views with AgWeek Magazine regarding rural youth attraction. He noted that people need to be intentional about welcoming young adults back to the community, but they also need to be patient. As UNL studies are showing, the trend of 30- and 40-somethings moving to rural areas may be evidence that youths do, and possibly should, experience a “sojourn” before returning to their roots later in life. When that time comes, welcoming efforts should be genuine and personal.

Submit Distribution Requests for FY 2014 Endowment Payout by June 15

Another reminder that if your affiliated fund plans to make distributions from your fiscal year (FY) 2014 endowment payout, you need to send in your disbursement request forms by June 15 so NCF can process those requests prior to the end of the current fiscal year on June 30. Your remaining payout for FY 2014 is shown on your March 31 financial statement. As we begin a new fiscal year on July 1, all remaining FY 2014 payout amounts will be reinvested into your endowment. Please help us ensure that your requests are handled in a timely manner! Thank you.

Submit Distribution Requests for FY 2014 Endowment Payout by June 15

If your affiliated fund plans to make distributions from your fiscal year (FY) 2014 endowment payout, you need to send in your disbursement request forms by June 15 so NCF can process those requests prior to the end of the current fiscal year on June 30. Your remaining payout for FY 2014 is shown on your March 31 financial statement. As we begin a new fiscal year on July 1, all remaining FY 2014 payout amounts will be reinvested into your endowment. Please help us ensure that your requests are handled in a timely manner! Thank you.

Free Webinar for Rural Opportunities Fair

Do you want to recruit young talented people to live and work in your area and help your community grow? Join the Rural Futures Institute for the first Rural Opportunities Fair on the opening day of the 2015 Rural Futures Conference. This event is designed to connect community representatives and students and allows communities to share the unique opportunities they have to offer. To learn more, join the informational webinaron Wednesday, May 20. Representing your community will allow you to:

Recruit talented students who are interested in internships, starting a career, or building new businesses within your community.

Open avenues to connect with students on an ongoing basis.

Learn about what students are looking for and how to market your community to
these young professionals who are interested in rural living.

Congrats to Rock County Community Fund

The Rock County Community Fund was formed just about a year ago, and it has already reached an important goal. The Fund, which serves the communities of Bassett, Newport and Rose in north-central Nebraska, raised more than $100,000 to receive a $50,000 challenge grant from a former resident rancher, Francis Kramer. Here is a nice example of a news release that explains the gift as well as the ambitious goals and enthusiasm of the Rock County dreamers!

Annual Training Videos Are Online

According to survey responses, 98% of the affiliated fund leaders who attended NCF’s annual events in November will try to participate again. More than half say they absolutely will attend. Some of the plenary sessions were recorded and are available on the NCF website. Please take a look and then plan now to have as many of your FAC members as possible attend training in Columbus on November 5th!

April 30, 2015

Affiliated Fund E-Newsletter

Spread the Word!

We’re seeing more and more community-based affiliated funds making good use of desktop publishing. Keith County Community Foundation Fund shared their recent newsletter with us, and we’re passing it along to you as a nice example. If your FAC does not have someone with the skills to put together a newsletter or annual report, consider asking for help from someone in the community. This may be a great opportunity to recruit a young adult or a student to serve on your marketing sub-committee. And it is certainly an important step towards increased public awareness.

Meet Jenny Herstein

Jenny Herstein recently joined the Nebraska Community Foundation as assistant director of advancement. This new position focuses efforts to support and sustain the mission of NCF and its affiliated funds. Jenny will develop strategies for executing annual fund drives, annual events sponsorships, friend-raising events and donor stewardship programs. She will also provide training assistance to affiliated fund development coordinators who are helping local leaders build endowments in communities across the state.

Prior to joining NCF, Jenny worked as Director of Development for the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET) Foundation for Television and Radio, where she provided leadership for fundraising activities, on-air membership drives and donor relations.

Jenny is a native of Stanton, Nebraska, and has a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Jenny and her husband Jack live on an acreage outside of Lincoln. They have a daughter, Jocelyn, who is a student and UNMC and a son, Jordan, studying at UNL. Jenny volunteers her time as a Youth Leader at First Plymouth Church and enjoys traveling, gardening, kayaking and hiking.

Grants to Small-Town Libraries

NCF’s Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund recently awarded more than $83,000 in grants to libraries in nine Nebraska communities: Arapahoe, Bennington, Benkelman, Genoa, Greenwood, Kimball, Neligh, Valentine and Walthill. Communities with populations under 3,000 may apply for a planning, program enhancement or facilities grant. Planning grants that lead to accreditation and program enhancement grants are matched 2 to 1 by the Fund, as these types of grants would have been favored by the late Shirley Kreutz Bennett. If you live in a community with fewer than 3,000 and your library could use a helping hand, download the short application form and guidelines. The deadline is October 1, 2015, so there is ample time for your library to develop a proposal and apply!

Affiliated Fund E-Newsletter

Even though it might feel like a party, your affiliated fund should be leveraging every special event you have by “making key introductions, connecting donors to each other and working the room to the best advantage,” according to a helpful post in #fundchat newsletter. Come prepared to work the room, making everyone feel welcome and connecting them with your inspiring vision and love for your community.

Look at the RSVP list ahead of time and make your own list of people you want to connect with or introduce to others (keep donors, potential donors and potential FAC leaders in mind). Debrief together after the event and note the connections made and relationships strengthened. Plan to follow up immediately after to coordinate handwritten thank you notes to guests your FAC members connected with.

Planning an event is no easy task, and if your event involves fundraising, it must be conducted in accordance with the law and prudent risk management. Before you begin planning your event check out NCF guidance on the website, download your Fundraising Events Checklist and call your affiliated fund development coordinator. Most FAC leaders tell us it’s a very helpful tool for getting organized and staying on top of all the details.

Angie Zimmer was recently hired as the General Counsel for Nebraska Community Foundation. Angie provides legal guidance on NCF policies, fund agreements, contracts, and risk management. She also ensures NCF adheres to the National Standards for Community Foundations and assists with human resources.

Prior to joining NCF, Angie worked as legal counsel for the Community Development Institute where she provided legal advice to Head Start programs throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Additionally, she worked in private practice for the Omaha law firm, Berkshire & Burmeister and clerked for the 8th Judicial District Court in Torrington, Wyoming.

Angie is a native of Council Bluffs, Iowa. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Creighton University and received her Juris Doctor from Creighton University School of Law. Angie lives in Lincoln with her husband Brian Zimmer, a native of Bellwood, Nebraska.

We’ve changed up the look of our bi-weekly e-newsletter. What other changes would you like to see? If you have ideas for content that would be helpful to you and your fellow affiliated fund leaders, please let us know. Send your ideas to NCF communications director Reggi Carlson at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Thanks!

Maybe the cold weather helped warm up hearts for our communities and nonprofit organizations this winter. In February NCF and its affiliated funds received 713 contributions totaling $408,000. The 713 total contributions in February is remarkable. This is only the second time ever that a single-month’s contributions have topped 700 in the first half of the year. What’s also notable is that the boost in contributions was unrelated to fundraising events. Here’s to everyone for having projects, programs and endowment-building campaigns that are igniting the spirit of generosity across Nebraskans.

If you are raising money for a community cause, you already have one of the most important attributes for a fundraising appeal—localization—because anything that makes people feel they are helping their friends and neighbors is powerful. Here is a list of techniques that you should keep handy as you are creating fundraising materials. Try to include at least a few of these devices in your next appeal, and see how they work!

At a recent monthly meeting of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Jeff Yost and two NCF Board members, former Board chair Ron Parks and his wife and current Board member Judy Parks, explained how your NCF statewide Board works and why the culture is so positive.

Your 18-member Board travels to affiliated fund communities across the state for its two-day quarterly meetings. There is seldom more than one member who is unable to attend, because meetings are scheduled two years out. Members may be elected to serve up to three 3-year terms, but that is not automatic. Most rudimentary work is done in committees, with full-Board meetings dedicated to strategy development. People genuinely like one another. So much, in fact, that many former Board members like Ron often join us for social events connected to our meetings. For these reasons and many more, your NCF Board of Directors is a highly engaged group of talented volunteers.

Reply Devices

It’s no secret that attention spans are short. You only have a few seconds to make that connection to the donor, entice her to open your direct mail piece and send back a gift. With such a narrow margin for error, everything in the package must work double-duty to funnel the donor toward a gift, even the reply device. Here are a number of techniques to make your reply devices stand out, courtesy of The Nonprofit Times.

Localization: Anything that makes people realize they’re helping their neighbors and community is powerful.

Campaign: Let people know exactly what their dollars are going toward.

Mission-based statement: Reinforces why someone would give to you.

Declaration: Help find a cure, help fund our research, help these animals.

Affirmation: Yes, I want to give. Often used in conjunction with a check box.

The March 16 issue of Nonprofit Quarterly Magazine features NCF President & CEO Jeff Yost in a discussion about rural community capacity-building, leadership and the role of philanthropy. Written by national correspondent Rick Cohen, the article holds up NCF as a unique model for a community development institution.

ServeNebraska, an NCF affiliated fund, is hosting its third annual ServeNebraska Week April 11-18, 2015,. This Week of Service provides Nebraskans with flexibility as to when they volunteer and for how long. Volunteers of all ages – individuals, groups, families, faith-based organizations, businesses and more – are encouraged to get involved. The goal is to have volunteers from each of the 93 counties complete activities that tackle pressing issues in their communities. Those who register their volunteer activity can make their favorite nonprofit organization eligible to win a $750 donation,! The first 200 volunteers to register will receive a FREE 2015 ServeNebraska Week Event T-Shirt,. Groups may receive up to five free shirts. No group is too small or large to make a difference. For more information and to register, visit ServeNebraska’s website.

We often hear our volunteers and donors say they wish they could do more for their community or favorite charity. One way to do good forever is to consider a gift through your estate plan. Friends who have named an affiliated fund in their estate become members of NCF’s Legacy Society, which honors our visionary donors who have arranged for future gifts beyond their lifetimes.

There are several ways to make a planned gift:

Include an estate gift through a provision in a will or living trust.

Name your affiliated fund as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement account.

Establish a life-income gift such as a charitable remainder trust or gift annuity with your affiliated fund as the remainder beneficiary.

If you have already arranged for a deferred gift to your community, Thank You! Please let us know or ask your professional advisor to contact us. NCF’s Director of Advancement and Gift Planning, Jim Gustafson, will be happy to help. You can reach him at (402) 323-7341 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The information on this page was sent as an e-mail message to NCF affiliated fund leaders on March 19, 2015.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Challenge Grant Opportunity
for Annual Events Sponsorships

An anonymous donor is making a $50,000 challenge gift to support the Nebraska Community Foundation and encourage matching contributions. This generous donor will match one dollar for every three dollars NCF raises in sponsorships and contributions in 2015, for a total of $200,000.

The 2015 Scholarship Selection Committee Packets were mailed in January to the primary contact of your affiliated fund. Completed forms were due to NCF by March 2nd, however many affiliated funds have not yet returned the information. Even if your Scholarship Selection Committee has not changed, NCF is obligated to approve the nomination of all scholarship selection committee members each year before any scholarships are announced. It’s important to get your information to us as soon as possible. Please follow up with your primary contact to ensure that your materials are sent to NCF as soon as possible.

Diller Community Foundation Fund regularly sends news items to the Beatrice, Fairbury and Wymore newspapers. And this community of just over 200 people gets plenty of press…since the beginning of the year eight articles. One of the very best is an editorial written by Fred Arnold of the Fairbury News-Journal. He heaps a lot of praise in a short amount of space, and you can bet people understood the point he was trying to make. Are you on good terms with your newspaper editors? They can be one of your best friend-raisers!

Most affiliated funds have their own Web page on NCF’s website. These pages have a “Donate” button at the top and bottom of the page, and donors can choose which account they wish to contribute to. Many affiliated funds neglect this opportunity by not customizing and promoting their page. Have you recently (ever) looked at your fund’s Web page? We would be happy to help you create an engaging online presence by adding news bits, your logo, your vision and mission statements, examples and photos of grants, upcoming events…just about anything you want to include.

Valley County’s Web page is a great example of the different ways you can promote your fund. And remember, your fund has a marketing address you can use to make it easier for people to find your page. Need help with any of this? Give our web master Angie Nelson a call at (402) 323-7347 or email her. She’ll be happy to add items or make changes that will improve your online image.

At last November’s Annual Affiliated Fund Training, members of the Imperial Community Foundation Fund created a “graphic history,” or timeline of their fund’s history told using pictures and symbols, and used it as a tool to reflect on their accomplishments and plan for the future. The group enjoyed the activity so much they were inspired to share it with leaders from other Southwest Nebraska affiliated funds that were not able to attend training.

Thanks to personal invitations from Imperial FAC members, representatives from five other affiliated funds recently met in Imperial to go through the graphic history exercise and learn other tips from each other. Read the full story here. If you would like to organize a regional meeting in your area, contact your Affiliated Fund Development Coordinator to learn more.

The beginning of the year is a popular time for many affiliated funds to announce annual grants to their community. As a reminder, always make sure to send your list of grantees to NCF at least two weeks before you make any public announcements so we can verify that each of your grantees are qualified “charitable” recipients. Following this best practice ensures that you will be able to effectively make your grants and won’t have to retract a statement or promise to a grantee.

The start of the year can also be a time when many potential donors think about guaranteeing a steady income for their lifetime while reducing taxes. A Charitable Gift Annuity can help donors accomplish both objectives. Be sure to let your local professional advisors know that your affiliated fund can be the recipient of the remainder of a Charitable Gift Annuity through the Nebraska Community Foundation. Check out some stories of people who have used a Charitable Gift Annuity to benefit their communities and favorite causes, and contact NCF’s Director of Advancement and Gift Planning, Jim Gustafson, with any questions.

The end of 2014 saw a record number of gifts made to affiliated funds, with more contributions being received in December 2014 than in any other month in NCF history.

A big thank you to all affiliated funds for sending in year-end donations in a timely fashion. This is a great practice of donor stewardship as it allows donors to receive their receipts for tax purposes as quickly as possible.

As of January 2015, there are over 100 donors giving to 25 different affiliated funds by monthly ACH withdrawals from their bank accounts. Most ACH contributions are between $10-$25/month. These monthly gifts can really add up over time, particularly if your affiliated fund has several donors giving by ACH.

Giving by ACH is a very convenient method for donors. If you know someone who would like to use monthly ACH transfers to give to your affiliated fund, simply have them fill out this form which requests the information and approval necessary for NCF to initiate monthly withdrawals from the donor’s bank account.

On January 21-22, a group of 27 affiliated fund leaders, staff, and NCF board members participated in a two-day facilitation methods training called “Technology of Participation” (ToP) in Lincoln. The course provided an overview of three types of methods to help groups reach consensus.

If you would like to request assistance with facilitation, please contact Greta Leach at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). We hope to offer more training opportunities again in the future.

Once again, hats off to the Pender-Thurston Education & Community Foundation Fund for being the first to get their Scholarship Selection Committee Packet completed and returned to NCF. If you have not yet returned your scholarship information, please do so no later than March 2nd. This information is required of all affiliated funds, even if your Scholarship Selection Committee has remained the same or your fund does not award scholarships

You can find all related scholarship information and forms on the NCF website.

The Heartland Center for Leadership Development is working with the University of Nebraska to identify communities to host Rural Futures Summer Interns. This nine-week summer program provides Nebraska rural communities the opportunity to complete a local community improvement project with the help of UNL student leaders. Successful community applicants will work with UNL departments and the Heartland Center to host two UNL student leaders as summer interns in each community. Applications for the summer of 2015 are now being accepted. More information and an application can be found here.Hurry! The deadline is January 30th.

Each year NCF affiliated funds invest millions of dollars to fulfill community dreams! These dollars make a huge difference in your hometown. Bring your donors and potential donors closer to your mission by sharing the stories of the people whose lives you are impacting. Here’s a great storytelling example written by affiliated fund coordinator Amanda Polacek. The details make all the difference – and the photo certainly helps!

Did you know that you are part of a movement that people across the nation are watching carefully and asking, “How do they do it?” Last week NCF president and CEO Jeff Yost was guest on a live chat with community developers in the U.S and Canada. Listen to a recording of the conversation – and feel proud of your peer network of people who have big dreams for their community, and are using philanthropy to make them come true!

The 2015 Scholarship Selection Committee Packets were mailed last week to the primary contact of your affiliated fund. Affiliated funds must complete the appropriate forms and return them to NCF by March 2nd. Even if your Scholarship Selection Committee has not changed, NCF is obligated to approve the nomination of all scholarship selection committee members each year before any scholarships are announced. It’s important to get your information to us as soon as possible. Please follow up with your primary contact to ensure that your materials are sent to NCF in a timely manner.

Happy New Year! It was another record-breaking year-end giving December with more than 2,000 contributions made to NCF affiliated funds! Congratulations to all who helped make this success possible! Please note that the NCF office will be closed for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, January 19.

In order to comply with U.S. National Standards for community foundations, NCF Affiliated Fund Advisory Committee members must review two policies each year: the Confidentiality Policy and the Conflict of Interest Policy. Please download and print out these documents and review them at your upcoming meeting. Members do not need to sign and return these policies, but you must document in your meeting minutes that the policies have been discussed and will be adhered to. Thank you!

You’re invited to a free live discussion hosted by community development pioneers John Mcknight and Peter Block with special guest, NCF president and CEO Jeff Yost. Jeff’s interview will focus on ‘The Hometown of Your Dreams.’ The conversation begins at 12:00 noon CT on Tuesday, January 13.

If your Affiliated Fund has an interest in helping to attract young lawyers to your community the Nebraska Bar Association’s Rural Practice Initiate can help. This initiative aims to introduce future lawyers to the state’s rural communities. Cheree Hatfield of Omaha learned about an opportunity and joined the practice of Stowell & Geweke in Ord. Contact Jim Gustafson to learn how your affiliated fund may be able to participate in the Rural Practice Initiative. But hurry…tours are planned for spring break!

For additional information, contact Sam Clinch at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 402-742-8125.

The NCF office will be closed for the holiday on December 25th. All staff members have elected to take a vacation day on December 26th, so the office will be closed on that day as well. Here’s wishing you a very warm and happy holiday season!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! On Monday of this week NCF received and processed 295 contributions. Help us keep up with this fast pace by sending in your contributions early and often. Certainly you want to honor your donor’s desire to receive a tax deduction in 2014 with their contribution in December. Even if a check is dated in December, if it arrives to NCF late, it may not be eligible for a tax deduction in 2014. Let’s all pull together to make this another record-breaking year-end success!

In our last e-newsletter we gave you some tactics on how to involve volunteers, especially in writing thank you notes to your donors. Here are four qualities that make your thank you notes shine! Good advice from the folks at Network for Good. Think about bringing volunteers together for a “thank you-writing party.” Remember, nothing can replace a simple handwritten note – except of course, a personal phone call to express your deep appreciation. Try it. It works wonders!

Late last month (on Thanksgiving) the Crofton Journal ran a wonderful piece on the Crofton Community Foundation Fund. The article was written using NCF’s Fact Sheet template, which is available on our website in three different file formats, including an easy-to-customize Word document. One of your New Year’s resolutions may be to visit with your local editor about running a similar piece in your hometown paper.

Please join us in welcoming Steve Brewster of Stuart and Carol Lockwood of Scottsbluff to the NCF Board of Directors. Read about these two exceptional individuals who bring many gifts and talents to advance our work in last Monday’s Omaha World-Herald article.

If you regularly attend NCF annual trainings, you no doubt noticed that last week’s sessions were a definite departure from the way we’ve been doing it in previous years! That’s because we listened to the way you responded on previous post-event surveys. It was loud and clear. You wanted more interaction with your peers. And that’s what happened in 2014.

For those of you who attended last week’s events, now’s your chance to tell us what you liked, disliked and found most valuable. We’ll soon be emailing electronic surveys regarding last week’s training to those of you who participated. PLEASE respond to our questions honestly and openly. We’re already evaluating and making plans for next year, and we need everyone’s help in designing sessions that will make NCF’s 2015 Annual Training a “Must Do” event for every affiliated fund leader. THANKS!

Here’s an idea for your next Fund Advisory Committee meeting. Grab your laptop and projector, pull up NCF’s website, play our new video, “Turn Up Your Dream Switch,” and ask one another if you are ready to dream big and act boldly. Don’t forget to send the link to friends and prospective donors. Folks who saw the video at our Annual Banquet said they were inspired!

We’re mailing the NCF annual report to all FAC members this week. (If you don’t get yours within a week or so, contact Juli Rosso!) We design our annual report to be a tool for talking to others about the power of affiliated fund endowment-building.

Please use the annual report to explain your affiliation with our growing statewide movement. Share this link to the report online with folks on your contact list! Ask them to support your efforts to strengthen your hometown!

We apologize for the “corny” headline! But we really want to get your attention. Right now cattle prices are as good as ever. If you have producers in your potential donor pool (or are one yourself) think seriously about the benefit of gifting livestock instead of cash. NCF has created press releases and flyers you can download and customize to promote this tax-wise method of charitable giving. Burwell Community Fund recently received two significant gifts of livestock. Your fund could be next. If you need additional information, contact Les Long, (402) 323-7346 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

If you or someone you know farms 250 acres or more of corn or soybeans you may be able to apply to this grant program sponsored by Monsanto. All the farmer needs to do is provide some basic information, and name the charity she/he would like to receive a $2,500 award from Monsato. Farmers in 80 Nebraska counties are eligible. Several affiliated funds have already received these grants, thanks to their thoughtful farmer donors. Read about the program and think about applying or helping your donor apply.

If your affiliated fund is coming to annual training next Thursday, be sure to bring items for your Expo display table. Displays will be an important part of training this year, and the guidelines are a little different from past years. Please download the guidelines, and let Teri Alley-Davis know that you plan to bring your materials. Email Teri or call her at (402) 323-7342 today!

Are you a Twitter user? If so, then you’ll want to make sure to follow us at @NebCommFound and participate in conversations during the Annual Training and Banquet this year by using the hashtag #Neb20, in honor of our 20th anniversary.

Here is an article in the Lincoln Journal Star by NCF Board Members Lynn Roper, Dennis Stara and Greg Vasek, which ran on October 4, 2014. This article describes the energized volunteers, the ambitious scope of the NCF’s mission, and the success we’ve had together over the past 20 years. You may be seeing similar stories in your local paper as well. Congratulations to everyone who is inspiring investment in our hometowns.

Valley County’s annual Entrepreneurship Investigation (ESI) camp caught the attention of the folks who document great youth programs across Nebraska. If you have a few minutes watch the video and find out why this camp is so successful year after year, and why you might think of launching the program in your hometown.

Significant funding for this program is provided by the Geweke Youth Endowment within the Valley County Community Foundation Fund. Lloyd and Naomi Geweke established the endowment with a gift of real estate. Instead of scholarships, they wanted to provide support to all students in the community. ESI camp is accomplishing their charitable intentions.

It’s coming up sooner than you might think! Register NOW for NCF’s 20th Anniversary Annual Events on November 6 at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln. Download the brochure and/or register online at NCF’s website. For those of you who joined us last year, you’ll remember how you were inspired by guest speaker John McKnight. He will be back with more stories and words of wisdom like these.

Yes, we’re reminding you again to register NOW for NCF’s 20th Anniversary Annual Events on November 6 at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln. Download the brochure and/or register online at NCF’s website. This year’s daylong training will be more interactive with more peer-to-peer learning than ever before. If you plan to stay at Embassy Suites, rooms are subject to availability after October 15. For a special room rate use “Group Code NCF” when reserving your room online or calling 800-362-2779 or 402-474-1111.

Nebraska City Community Foundation Fund raised awareness along with some cash as a result of its Coin Harvest in September. With publicity help from the local paper, the fund was able to collect 43 jars of coins and spread the word about its efforts to meet its challenge grant. Find out how they did it! As a result of this early success the fund will launch a second “harvest” around Thanksgiving.

Are you ever at a loss for words when it comes to describing what your affiliated fund is and hopes to accomplish? One of the best (and first) tools you should have is a simple fact sheet. You can use it when you visit with potential donors, distribute it at events, and keep it handy as a quick “cheat sheet” for new FAC members. NCF’s website has a generic template you can customize for your own fact sheet. There are various design file types you use to create one. Keep as much or as little content as you choose – but do use it!

Don’t be surprised if you see an opinion piece by your NCF Board member Doug Bereuter in your local newspaper. Doug generously shared his praise and optimism about Nebraska Community Foundation and its 20 years of achievements with the Omaha World-Herald and we’ve released it to all papers. Here’s hoping you will share it with others as well!

NCF’s 20th Anniversary Annual Events are November 6 at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln. The schedule and registration brochure for all NCF Annual Events was mailed to the primary contact of each affiliated fund last week. You can also download the brochure and/or register online at NCF’s website. This year’s daylong training will be more interactive with more peer-to-peer learning than ever before. Plus, John McKnight returns with more wisdom and insights. We promise you’ll be inspired and motivated! Plan now to have as many of your FAC members participate as possible.

If you plan to stay at Embassy Suites, rooms are subject to availability after October 15. For a special room rate use Group Code “NCF” when registering online or calling 800-362-2779 or 402-474-1111.

We’re hoping all affiliated funds attending the annual events will bring their displays to the Expo. This year we’re asking that you think about your “greatest community impact.” Discuss it at an FAC meeting. Then gather newspaper clippings, photos and statements from the people who benefited. We want to visually tell the story of how our communities are better places – and why – through the many generous contributions of our donors and efforts by our affiliated funds. Download affiliated fund display guidance and information at NCF’s website for ideas and information.

Gift Planning Director Jim Gustafson says that from now until the end of the year people are considering how to manage their finances to increase income and minimize taxes. One of the most popular tools is a Charitable Gift Annuity. Here are several stories about folks who have taken advantage of this charitable giving device to provide fixed or variable income payments for life or the lifetime of a surviving beneficiary, with the remainder benefiting an affiliated fund. Take a look to see if you know someone similar who might use this creative tool to help themselves and their community!

Now is the time to remind farmers and ranchers that they can make a significant gift to your affiliated fund and enjoy significant tax savings by gifting grain and livestock instead of cash. NCF makes the process easy by providing the tools your donor will need. Visit our website page to download template news releases and flyers that you can customize for your area. Be sure to read more about how gifts of ag commodities are made so you are familiar with the process when you talk to potential donors. Contact Les Long at NCF at (402) 323-7346 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you have additional questions. Don’t pass on this opportunity. It’s for real. Read how Byron Community Fund jump-started its fundraising efforts with gifts of grain!

If your community is smaller than 3,000 and your local public library is raising project or program funds, be sure to let your library representatives know about the Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund’s grant program. This NCF affiliated fund grants about $80,000 each year to several small-town libraries. Hurry, the deadline for initial short-form applications is October 1st.

Many affiliated funds hold their donor appreciation and grantmaking events in the fall of the year. Then – all of a sudden – it’s time to send out your annual appeal letter! Here is an idea for making your upcoming events more meaningful. SHOW donors the good your grants did. By now, grants you made last year are working in your community. Is it a TeamMates grant? Computers for the library? Equipment for fire and rescue? Take photos and show them at your event. Or have the beneficiaries speak at your event.

The annual affiliated fund training was created to help people become increasingly effective in community development philanthropy. Over the course of many years of training events, the number one request has been for more peer-to-peer learning and regional sharing. This year’s training and Expo are designed to do just that and more. A truly unique and engaging experience, it promises to be both motivating and practical for all affiliated fund leaders and supporters.

Watch for more information, mark your calendar for November 6 at Embassy Suites in Lincoln, and join us at NCF’s 20th Anniversary events, featuring last year’s inspirational speaker, John McKnight. Plan to participate with as many of your Fund Advisory Committee members as possible.

McCook Community Foundation Fund poured out its heartfelt thanks by serving up root beer floats to everyone who helped meet its Sherwood Foundation Challenge grant goal. The Fund raised $500,000 in gifts and pledges for its unrestricted endowment, which will be matched with an additional $250,000 from the Sherwood Foundation. Here’s a “cool” way to celebrate with warm gratitude!

The community of Spencer (pop. 455) has had an affiliated fund with NCF since 2003. Through the years a number of planned gifts were arranged to benefit the community. Today, the Spencer Community Foundation Fund has nearly $1.3 million in its unrestricted endowment which continues to grow. Eugene and Bonnie Martinson placed their trust in the Fund and in NCF. They used several planned giving tools to create their legacy. Does your FAC have a strategy for identifying potential planned gifts? NCF’s Gift Planning Director Jim Gustafson can help. Drop him an email or call him at (402) 323-7341.

Nebraska Community Foundation Board members come from communities all across Nebraska. The majority are also affiliated Fund Advisory Committee members. The NCF Board meets quarterly in different communities we serve to get to know the people and the places we are working in. On August 21 and 22, the Board will meet in Sidney, where two of our newest affiliated funds, the Cheyenne County Community Fund and Cabela’s Donor-Advised Fund, are located. Former Board Chair Kathy Thuman, “I never would have traveled to so many places and met so many people had it not been for NCF. It’s one of the reasons I decided to stay right here in Nebraska. It’s all about the people.” We agree. Our people are our greatest asset!

NCF’s 2014 Annual Training, Expo and Banquet will be held Thursday, November 6 at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln. Community development pioneer John McKnight returns to Nebraska to help us celebrate our 20th Anniversary! Last year guest speaker and trainer John McKnight wowed his audience with inspirational stories and practical methods for making the most of everyone’s personal and financial gifts. John was as impressed with Nebraska Community Foundation as we were with him. So we’re bringing him back! Don’t miss John’s sessions and all the other training and peer learning opportunities.

Watch for more information, mark your calendar and plan to participate at NCF’s 20th Anniversary events with as many of your Fund Advisory Committee members as possible. Together we have come a long way. Let’s celebrate and then turn up our dream switch for even greater success in the future!

NCF’s 20th Anniversary Annual Events are November 6 at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln. We’re hoping all affiliated funds attending will bring their displays to the Expo. This year we’re asking that you think about the most impactful grant your fund has ever made. Discuss it at an FAC meeting. Then gather newspaper clippings, photos and statements from the people who benefited from your investment. We want to visually tell the story of how our communities are better places – and why – through the many generous contributions of our donors and our affiliated funds. Watch for registration details early in September.

The Nebraska Community Foundation requires its directors, volunteers and employees to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their responsibilities. This includes an obligation to report violations or suspected violations of laws and of certain policies. NCF has a Whistleblower Policy that sets forth the procedure for such reporting and states that there will be no retaliation for good faith reporting of concerns. Fund Advisory Committee members are covered by the NCF Whistleblower Policy and should periodically discuss this at an FAC meeting. Click here to read the policy in full.

The Summer Connections newsletter was mailed to all affiliated fund leaders last week. If yours has not arrived let Juli Rosso know so she can check on your address. The newsletter also can be found online. Why not share the link with as many contacts as possible? It’s a great way to inform others about our shared mission and partnership!

Getting local businesses behind your community-building work can reap big rewards. Here’s a story from Nebraska City where a young doctor not only pledges a portion of his profits to meet a challenge grant, but he’s challenging others to do the same!

Professional advisors – estate planners, attorneys, financial advisors – often have great influence over their clients’ charitable gift giving and gift planning. Do professional advisors who serve your community know about you and trust you enough to inform their clients about your mission? NCF’s Gift Planning Director Jim Gustafson can help. Jim has worked with hundreds of professional advisors and has offered dozens of seminars on charitable gifting. He is happy to help you plan strategies for engaging professional advisors in your community. Part of that plan might include a gathering of professional advisors in your community – like the recent event in Howells – to share information about your affiliated fund and the Nebraska Community Foundation. Importantly, he’ll explain how NCF can help him or her help their clients achieve their charitable goals. Contact Jim at (402) 323-7341 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

NCF’s annual report is being developed right now. Please send photos of your grantees and their projects by August 1. We want to showcase as many great stories as possible as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary this fall and beyond! Contact Communications Director Reggi Carlson at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call (402) 323-7331.

Many affiliated funds hold fundraising events, and these can require substantial staff time and involve numerous compliance and risk management issues. As of July 1, NCF affiliated funds that hold fundraising events could be assessed a fundraising event fee if they fail to meet two obligations.
NO FEE will be assessed if these simple guidelines are followed:

Your first step in planning a fundraising event is to contact your affiliated fund development coordinator to inform them of your plans. They will help you work through your Fundraising Event Checklist and will provide you with a spreadsheet to use to track your event proceeds so that NCF accounting staff can properly record them. These two tools will ensure that your fundraising event is well organized and hopefully extremely successful. There’s more helpful information on our Guidelines for Fundraising Events Web page.

Experts tell us that our regular donors are our most valuable donors. One of the easiest ways to cultivate regular giving is through automatic bank withdrawals. A donor submits a simple form, and regular amounts are withdrawn from their account and deposited in your affiliated fund’s account. NCF can help you customize the form to suit your needs. Just contact your affiliated fund development coordinator. Then, of course, don’t forget to let everyone know through an article like the one Deshler recently published promoting its Builders Club.

Do you have someone in mind who may have an interest in making a substantial contribution to your affiliated fund? Many people make their charitable decisions in the final months of the year due to end-of-year tax considerations. Now is the time to cultivate these donors with personal visits to listen to their thoughts and respond to their questions. View NCF’s helpful webinar featuring two affiliated fund leaders who share their thoughts on how to respond to “yes, no and maybe.” Take it from your peers, “No” usually means “Not now.” Watch this webinar for great guidance!

NCF’s printed newsletter will be mailed in July. Is your affiliated fund featured? If not, you’re missing out on some nice publicity going out to thousands of readers. Please send photos and stories of your work to Communications Director Reggi Carlson at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). We’re working on our annual report right now, and we’d love to shine a light on your affiliated fund.

NCF and its affiliated funds made the news in the Omaha World-Herald last week! A great opinion piece on June 16 praised the work we are all doing across the state. Several community-based affiliated funds are mentioned. Download a copy so you can print it out or send the link to your friends (your donors of course). It’s nice to be featured in the one of our state’s top news outlets!

Think about it. Twenty years ago people searched for a phone booth. Today they are searching for a signal. What will people need and expect 20 years from now? Will your hometown be ready to offer whatever is next to the next generation?

Increasingly, returners and newcomers to rural communities state that the opportunity to be engaged and make a difference is the most important factor in determining where they choose to live. A sense of place and quality of life are now as, or possibly more important than economic opportunity. Building a permanent, unrestricted endowment provides a guarantee that funding will be available to act on future opportunities that we can only envision today.

Twelve years ago 51 community-focused affiliated funds had $4.6 million endowed, with the capacity to pay out about $180,000 each year. Today, there are 99 community-focused affiliated funds with $50.8 million endowed. That means, today, more than $2 million is available on an annual basis to meet the needs and opportunities in hometowns served by NCF. Let’s keep going, dream big and embrace the future. Need to brush up on how to build your hometown endowment? Visit NCF’s website for helpful information.

To follow up on the previous thoughts on endowment building, think about this. Planned gifts to affiliated funds now total more than $30 million to benefit 75 Nebraska communities in the future. Is your hometown one of them? One of the easiest ways to make your own planned gift (and then encourage others to do the same) is through a gift of life insurance. NCF has helped many people use this convenient tool. Learn about the different options for making a gift of life insurance and read about the people who already have made this commitment to their community.

Affiliated fund leaders in Nebraska City are in the middle of a challenge grant campaign and they are doing everything they can to raise awareness. One of the most important tactics is to present their case to the local paper. And one of the easiest ways to share their vision is to simply ask Fund Advisory Committee members to explain why the vision is important to them. Here is the first in a series of articles that will run in the Nebraska City News-Press. Yes, you may certainly “borrow this idea” and you should!

NCF’s 2011 Transfer of Wealth Study was spotlighted recently in the Blair Enterprise. The Blair Community Foundation (not an NCF affiliated fund) used our data to make a pitch about the importance of planned giving. We’ve made it really easy for you to submit a similar article to your local paper. Go to the Transfer of Wealth page on NCF’s website and download the editorial template you find at the bottom of the page. You can select your county to find all the specific information you’ll need. Just “fill in the blanks” on the template. Ask your local editor to publish the article. Then follow up with potential donors you have targeted for planned giving. Visit them with the article in hand and start the conversation!

An annual report for your affiliated fund is an important marketing tool, whether you are soliciting higher level donors and businesses, or simply reminding people to make their annual contribution. Both current and potential donors will want to know how their contributions are used and how your funds are managed. An annual report can vary from being highly produced or a few simple pages with some solid information. Here is some guidance on the types of content you might want to include. And take a look at Valley County’s annual report if you want to take your current report up to the next level.

Not if we don’t hear about your best efforts and get photos of your grants in action. NCF’s annual report can be a powerful marketing tool if you can point to your story within our professional publication. Your best stories are all about the people you have helped, not about the money you have given. Talk to the volunteer firefighter, the librarian, the children using the new computer you helped to purchase. Capture their words and their smiling faces in photos. Then contact Reggi Carlson, communications director, at (402) 323-7331 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and together we’ll shine a light on the positive impact your affiliated fund is having in your community.

When leaders in Byron started their affiliated fund in 2011 they had big dreams for their small town. One was to build a new community center. They began talking to area farmers about donating gifts of grain. Contributions flowed in. People were energized. They were well on their way toward raising the money for their community center plus an endowment to sustain it. Then last year, an amazing gift helped to make their dreams come true sooner than they had imagined. Read all about it!

Mark your calendar and get ready to celebrate, learn and be inspired! Yes, we’ve all come a long way, but now it’s time to “turn up our dream switch”! Plan on coming to Lincoln for a full day of training, peer learning and showing off just a little by bringing your display to our Affiliated Fund EXPO. Here are some suggestions for showcasing your affiliated fund.

We’ve heard from several FAC members who are thinking about producing a short video to demonstrate the vision and work of their affiliated fund. This can be a powerful tool. But before you start, consider the costs and beware of copyright issues! It’s a great idea to enlist help from tech-savvy students, but they may not be aware that they can only use royalty-free music. Our friends at Network for Good have some great ideas for producing inspirational videos – even if you don’t have a camera!

Congratulations to the McCook Community Foundation Fund! The Fund has met its $500,000 fundraising goal to meet its Sherwood Foundation challenge grant — 20 months ahead of the deadline. Now the Fund is eligible for its matching Sherwood Foundation grant of $250,000! This will enable the Fund to increase its current annual grantmaking to more than $65,000 each year! Here’s to the community dreamers who make up the McCook FAC, and to all their hard work and belief in the future of their hometown!

Please send us your complete list of FAC members,, their mailing addresses, phone numbers (home and/ or work), email addresses and the office they hold. Nebraska Community Foundation is now on a new database system, and we want to make sure everything is accurate and up-to-date so that no one misses important communications and opportunities. Thank you!

Recently we saw a newspaper article about an affiliated fund’s grant to improve the waiting room of a medical facility. Painting, carpet, etc. Buried four paragraphs into the article the writer describes how people who use wheelchairs had struggled for years to get into the main entrance of the facility. The door was too narrow! Now that’s interesting! And it would be even better to hear from someone who can now wheel in with ease. Who are the “main characters” in your affiliated fund stories? Here’s a free e-book you can download from the folks at Network for Good that will help you get to the heart of your story!

For those affiliated funds that have scholarship accounts, here’s a tip. In addition to naming and perhaps picturing the young man or woman, try including a few quotes from the award winner. Here’s a nice example from Nebraska City that enables its non-traditional scholarship recipients to share a little bit about themselves and a lot of gratitude.

What are you “known for” in your community? As an organization that raises money and makes grants? Or as a volunteer group that also takes action, provides service, or shares information? Your affiliated fund is uniquely positioned to act as a community convener and educator. This e-newsletter links to recent newspaper articles that show how affiliated funds are taking on a variety of leadership roles. The best way to learn about different ways your affiliated fund can be recognized as a community leader is to visit with others who are doing it! Plan to participate at this year’s Annual Training and Banquet on November 6!

The Verdigre Community Foundation Fund has been a leader in launching an after-school program. Now these volunteers are working with Knox County Economic Development to determine the the community’s broader child care needs.

The Trumbull Community Foundation Fund recently sponsored a board of education candidate forum in the former school building it has converted into a community center. The event was designed to give voters in the Doniphan and Trumbull communities a chance to meet and question school board candidates.

The Foundation for Thayer County Health Services shared some interesting data on how volunteering actually improves your health and dramatically increases your happiness! Nice way to say “Thanks” to volunteers and invite more interest in volunteer opportunities.

Senior Accountant Karla Egger has been on staff with NCF for nearly seven years. She is well aware of the power and importance of building unrestricted endowments for our communities. She was happy when her hometown of Crofton launched its affiliated fund in 2010. And recently, Karla was pleased to be able to honor her parents through a significant gift back to the community they loved.

Don’t just read about other affiliated funds receiving major estate gifts. Take action! Has your affiliated fund done one of the following?

Successfully completed a challenge grant to build an endowment

Raised funds for a specific project

Implemented an annual giving program

Then it’s time to build on those successes by inviting donors to learn how they can further their support with a planned gift. NCF provides education through informal Gathering Events to help donors consider making a planned gift through their estate. We’ve compiled a “How-To” manual that will guide you in planning your gathering event. Read more about Gathering Events and Legacy Dinners, talk to your fellow FAC members, then contact your affiliated fund development coordinator for help.

The Nebraska Community Foundation is a tax-exempt organization for federal income tax purposes. However, NCF and its affiliated funds are NOT tax-exempt when it comes to sales tax. We must pay sales tax on most of the things we purchase, like supplies and (in some circumstances) food for events and major expenditures. We must also collect sales tax on items that we sell and on admissions to events. Please read this overview on sales and use tax, because many vendors may assume that your affiliated fund does not need to pay sales tax. If you have any questions, please contact Les Long, NCF controller, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (402) 323-7346. He’ll be happy to help!

GROW Nebraska’s annual MarkeTECH Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23 at the Ramada Inn in Kearney. This conference focuses on harnessing marketing and technology to make a greater impact in the global marketplace, and it includes training on eCommerce, website development, email marketing and social media platforms like Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook. Don’t just learn from trainers; hear the perks and pitfalls of these tools from business owners who are already using them. For more information visit http://www.GrowNebraska.org.

The April 2014 edition of the Smithsonian Magazine names Nebraska City the 9th best small town to visit in America. The magazine cites the town’s rich history, 10 historic museums, famous orchards and vineyards, as well as the town’s claim to fame as the birthplace of Arbor Day, as the main draws. Congratulations to the Nebraska City Community Foundation Fund for everything you have done to help make your hometown such a great place to live and to visit!

Here’s a great article worthy of passing along. It outlines the same familiar principles learned at NCF training sessions, but it’s always a good idea to refresh our memories. Gail Perry does a nice job in this easy and fun to read blog.

If you are thinking about holding an event that includes fundraising, check in with your NCF Affiliated Fund Development Coordinator who can help you through the planning process using the Fundraising Event Checklist. This checklist must be completed for every event conducted by an affiliated fund that includes fundraising elements.

Fundraising events can require substantial staff and volunteer time. They involve numerous compliance and risk management issues. The checklist will help your affiliated fund through the process of considering, planning and carrying out an event that includes fundraising. It will guide your Fund Advisory Committee through the steps to plan effectively and ensure compliance with applicable laws and NCF policies, and it will aid in communication between your affiliated fund and NCF. It is a “living document” that should be shared with NCF throughout the process as you prepare for the event. You can download the checklist from NCF website’s “Find a Form” page.

Community leaders who know how to recruit businesses, assist with businesses expansion and identify possible entrepreneurs, keep their communities on the path to future success. This workshop will provide information on Recruitment vs. Business Retention and Expansion, Entrepreneurship Development, the Importance of Community Partnerships, and Community Partnership Success Stories. Panelists include:

The workshop will be held in Ravenna, Nebraska at the Ravenna City Auditorium, 112 W Genoa Street on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 from 5:30-9:00 PM. The cost to attend is $25 and includes dinner.

For more information or to register contact Melissa McMinn at the South Central Economic Development District, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (308) 995-3190. Pre-registration is required by Thursday, April 24.

A recent UNL report looked at Nebraska’s 22 “small-town counties” (those lacking a population center of 2,500 or more) and found that the number of residents ages 30 to 34 was nearly 25% above what would have been found if there had been no net in-migration. The benefit was similar for Nebraska’s 28 “frontier counties.” Both groups saw net population gains for residents 35-49 as well. An Omaha World-Herald editorial on the subject cites visioning and outreach efforts by NCF’s affiliated fund, Holt County Economic Development, as a model for other small communities to replicate in their outreach and engagement efforts. What is your community doing to encourage a younger demographic? Here are some ideas from Holt County.

Brook Shelmadine of Alliance is the director of Box Butte Health Foundation, an agency endowment with NCF. Brook is featured in this article from the Scottsbluff Star-Herald which profiles several young adults who have moved back home in recent years. Each had different reasons for returning to their rural roots, and each is pursuing a different path. Think about it. Is there a way you can connect an alumnus to an opportunity in your hometown?

Eight public libraries received a helping hand recently, thanks to the generosity of a lifelong educator, the late Shirley Kreutz Bennett of Lincoln. Each year NCF’s Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund accepts proposals for matching grants for public libraries in communities with populations of fewer than 3,000.
This year, five of the grants went to libraries in NCF affiliated fund communities: Butler County, Deshler, Elgin, Exeter and Red Cloud. Grants are available in three areas: planning grants leading to accreditation; enhancement grants to improve library services; and facilities grants for new construction or the renovation, restoration or rehabilitation of current libraries. If your community is under 3,000, talk to your library representatives about applying for a project or program grant. The guidelines and short application form are on NCF’s website.

The 2014 Scholarship Selection Committee Packets were mailed to the primary contact of your affiliated fund in January. Completed forms were due back to NCF about three weeks ago. Even if your Scholarship Selection Committee has not changed, NCF is obligated to approve the nomination of all scholarship selection committee members before any scholarships are announced. It’s important to get your information to us now! Please follow up with your primary contact to ensure that your materials are sent to NCF right away.

Making grants is more complicated than just giving money to “a good cause.” Avoid embarrassment and hurt feelings by sending your list of grantees to NCF at least two weeks before you make any announcement. We can verify that each of your grantees is a qualified “charitable” recipient. This can be tricky. Sometimes an organization’s tax-exempt status is no longer in effect. Or what seems like a charitable organization does not actually qualify under IRS rules. Play it safe and send us a list of the grants you plan to make so we can do a thorough check for you. Here is an overview of grantmaking guidelines and frequently asked questions. Yes, it’s a lot to keep straight, so let us help!

With many grantmaking events coming up, you have an opportunity to tell folks about the work of your affiliated fund. But don’t forget to SHOW them throughout the year with photos of the good things made possible through your donors’ contributions. People remember pictures more than words. So go to the organizations and projects you support and take photos – lots of them. If you need help figuring out how to “picture” improving an H/VAC system, shelving for a library, support for a youth group, or any community improvement, call NCF Communications Director Reggi Carlson at (402) 323-7331. She would love to help…especially if you promise to share! Here are some ideas for taking photos that speak for themselves…and well of you! NCF’s Spring Connections newsletter will be arriving later this month. Is your story and photo in it?

A recent story in the Hastings Tribune announced Richard Walter’s retirement after 35 years in the insurance business. But most of the story focused on all that the “big little town” of Shickley has been able to accomplish, thanks to volunteer community leaders and generous donors. In addition to all that he does for his hometown, many FAC members know Richard as a friend and enthusiastic mentor. He is also a valued member of the NCF Board of Directors. We salute Richard Walter, thank him for his years of service and look forward to many more years of our valued partnership!

NCF’s Spring Connections newsletter will include stories about significant bequests recently received by two affiliated funds. We can either sit back and hope these kinds of major gifts will come our way, or we can do something to help make them more possible. Professional advisors play an important role in helping people arrange bequests in their clients’ wills. So it is critical that these advisors know about your affiliated fund, what you do, and the permanence and stability you have through NCF. Here are some stories you might share with professional advisors in your area. Be sure to let them know that NCF’s Jim Gustafson is always available to help!

Is your affiliated fund raising money for a specific community project? Sometimes we make our communications a little too complicated. A recent “Fired-Up Fundraising” blog tells us to simplify the process for our donors AND ourselves! Then it follows with helpful advice on using the same formula for thanking our donors. There’s much more included in this thoughtful, easy-to read piece. Yes, it’s just common sense, but it’s worth the reminder!

Fundraising events require lots of time and effort for affiliated fund leaders and for NCF staff members because of the numerous compliance and risk management issues involved. If your affiliated fund is planning to hold a fundraising event you must follow NCF’s new Fundraising Events Checklist from the very start of your planning process. Download it from the “Find a Form” page (at the bottom) on NCF’s website. This new tool will help you plan and execute your fundraising event in a successful, worry-free way from start to finish!

NCF’s Gift Planning Director tells us that this is the time of year many potential donors think about guaranteeing a steady lifetime income and reducing taxes. A Charitable Gift Annuity accomplishes both. Be sure to let your local professional advisors know that your affiliated fund can be the recipient of the remainder of a Charitable Gift Annuity through the Nebraska Community Foundation. (They may not be aware!) Here are some stories of people who have used a Charitable Gift Annuity to benefit their communities and favorite causes. Share one or two with a professional advisor in your community.

A lot of affiliated funds help with community sign projects. Did you know that yours could be a prize-winner? Congratulations to Hickman for winning First Place in the 2013 Community Sign Award sponsored by the Nebraska League of Municipalities. And hats off to the Hickman Area Community Foundation Fund for spearheading this project’s funding and implementation. See the sign on NCF’s Facebook page.

First Lady Sally Gamen’s Outstanding Community Service Award will be presented April 11 in Omaha recognizing distinguished service in a number of categories. Think of someone on your team you admire, and then show your appreciation by filling out the short, easy nomination form. Who knows? Your nominee may be selected! What a great piece of PR for your affiliated fund! Last year Alicia O’Donnell with the Trumbull Community Foundation Fund won a Governor’s Points of Light award. Your special volunteer could be next!

The Deshler Community Fund is celebrating these days. Established in 2011, the Fund has already built an endowment of more than $161,000, thanks in large part to matching grants provided by Reinke Manufacturing and Midwest Bank. Find out how they did it and think about how you might discover a challenge grant opportunity in your community!

Maybe their slogan should be “Just Do It!” The Pender-Thurston Education & Community Foundation Fund is the earliest bird for getting its Scholarship Selection Committee Packet completed and returned to NCF. NCF is obligated to approve the nomination of all scholarship selection committee members before any scholarships are announced. Please follow up with your primary contact to ensure that your materials are sent to NCF no later than March 3rd, even if your Scholarship Selection Committee has not changed.

NCF staff are getting lots of inquiries about affiliated fund action planning. That’s because this staff-facilitated process is reaping rewards for the 25 funds that have completed their plans. One of the most important prerequisites to action planning is to have a leadership succession plan in place. NCF has helpful tools and guidance for developing your succession plan. Now’s the time to get started!

Two affiliated funds were honored with the Community Legacy Award at NCF’s annual banquet in November. This award is presented to Fund Advisory Committees in which all committee members have arranged a planned gift within their estates to benefit their community-based fund in the future. Congratulations to all 19 affiliated fund leaders of the Pender-Thurston and Plattsmouth Community Foundation Funds who have made this special commitment to their hometowns. Follow the links to read their stories published by local newspapers.
Now’s a great time to make a New Year’s resolution to contact Jim Gustafson, NCF Gift Planning Director, about putting in place your own planned gift! There are many different ways to arrange a lasting legacy for your hometown.

The 2014 Scholarship Selection Committee Packets were mailed to the primary contact of your affiliated fund last week. Affiliated funds must complete the appropriate forms and return them to NCF by March 3rd. Even if your Scholarship Selection Committee has not changed, NCF is obligated to approve the nomination of all scholarship selection committee members before any scholarships are announced. It’s important to get your information to us as soon as possible. Please follow up with your primary contact to ensure that your materials are sent to NCF in a timely manner.

Don’t risk having your contributions or other important affiliated fund mailings being hung up at the post office. The U.S. Postal Service will increase prices for both mailing and shipping on Sunday, January 26, 2014.

The price of mailing a one-ounce letter by First-Class mail will increase by $.03 to $.49. Other highlighted changes include:

NCF received a record number of contributions for affiliated funds in December! Of course we need to thank each and every one, but here are some great ideas for making your thank you letter meaningful in a way that can lead to future contributions.

Fundraising experts advise us to never forget the telephone. During the next few days, call donors, not to ask them for money, but to thank them for their support. Enlist your FAC members and volunteers to help. Letting donors know they’re appreciated will help strengthen their ties to your affiliated fund and build a strong foundation for future fundraising. And it might even encourage an additional gift. Here are three things your donor “thank you” must do from the Network for Good Learning Center.

Before his death in August 2013, Glenn Korff arranged many generous gifts to his favorite causes. One of those was his hometown of Hebron. He believed that “no one should forget their roots, even if they no longer live there.” Glenn Korff’s gift reminds us that we should never forget our native sons and daughters, even if they no longer live here. We may be surprised to know how much they care about the future of their hometowns. Read more about Mr. Korff’s recent gift to the Hebron Community Foundation Fund.

The Howells Community Fund was formed just last year, but the FAC has been using its local paper to reach out to members of the community and to those who no longer live there. They know that the Howells Journal is read every week by many alumni who still call Howells “home.” Here is a sample of an easy-to-write newspaper piece that informs readers that there’s a way to give back to the place they love.

We learned recently that Nebraska has risen to the top five states for volunteerism according to the annual Volunteering and Civic Life in America report. The Corporation for National and Community Service report found that 36 percent of Nebraskans volunteered in 2012. In total, more than 494,000 Nebraskans gave 50.8 million hours of service worth an estimated $870 million. This news may be no surprise to the dedicated NCF volunteers serving as Fund Advisory Committee members. Hats off to you! Is there a way your affiliated fund could utilize the time and talent of volunteers in your community?

The University of Nebraska Rural Futures Institute is seeking rural communities to host summer interns to help with specific betterment projects. Last year, the program matched interns with three communities—Seward, Holdrege and Red Cloud. Two interns were placed in each community and worked with citizens on different projects ranging from community pride and documenting historic homes, rebranding and marketing to entrepreneurship education for high school students. The first year was a great success! The program is now accepting community applications for 2014. The summer internship program lasts eight weeks. Successful communities must provide a $1,200 stipend per intern and provide no-cost housing and opportunities for students to engage in civic and service activities.

Community-based affiliated funds may provide a community organization with funding for the stipend if the proposed activity is charitable. However, the entity applying for and paying an intern must be a governmental entity or another 501(c)(3) organization in the community. If your affiliated fund is interested in collaborating with another community entity on this opportunity please contact your affiliated fund development coordinator for additional guidance.

Help us help you build stronger donor relationships by making sure your donors get the charitable deduction they expect on their 2013 tax returns. During the month of December, send any contributions you receive to NCF every day. This will help us process contributions and issue receipts for 2013 gifts quickly and efficiently. Any contributions you submit to NCF that are postmarked after December 31, 2013 – regardless of the date on the check – will be recorded as a 2014 contribution.

The NCF office will be closed on December 25 and January 1. The office will be open during regular business hours from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm on December 24 and 31. However, some staff members will be taking those days as vacation days.

It’s not too late to suggest a gift of grain or livestock as a generous and tax-wise way to support your affiliated fund. Producers who are looking for ways to make year-end charitable gifts and minimize their 2013 taxes should consider a gift of ag commodities. NCF provides a number of ways you can promote this opportunity in your local media and at your local elevator or sale barn. Download these promotional materials today! And remember, gifts of grain and livestock can be given at any time throughout the year. Contact Les Long at NCF for additional information at (402) 323-7346 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

World renowned author and community development practitioner John McKnight captivated his audience at NCF’s annual events in Nebraska City last month. In this short video he takes a few moments to explain why he is impressed with NCF’s system of affiliated funds, and he encourages us to continue to reach out to a growing number of “givers.”

Help us help you build stronger donor relationships by making sure your donors get the charitable deduction they expect on their 2013 tax returns. December is NCF’s biggest month for contributions to affiliated funds. That’s because many donors make their final charitable giving decisions at the end of the year…often with a consideration for tax deductions. During the month of December, send any contributions you receive to NCF every day. This will help us process contributions and issue receipts for 2013 gifts quickly and efficiently. Any contributions you submit to NCF that are postmarked after December 31, 2013 – regardless of the date on the check – will be recorded as a 2014 contribution.

With increases in postage rates, NCF is receiving more mail from affiliated funds that has postage due. Since this requires a second trip to the post office, it slows down the receipt and processing of contributions, disbursement requests and other important materials. Please make sure that you put sufficient postage on mail sent to us and if in doubt, ask a postal clerk to confirm the amount of postage you need before you drop that envelope in the mail. This is especially important during the busy month of December! Thanks!

Thank you Burwell, Diller, Imperial, McCook, Shickley and Valley County for sharing your thoughts in our new video that explains how NCF is helping communities help themselves. It made its debut during the Annual Banquet last week. Watch the video and share it with your people. If you have questions about producing a video for your affiliated fund contact NCF communications director Reggi Carlson at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

A record number of people (140) attended NCF’s annual affiliated fund training sessions on November 7. If you were unable to come to the events in Nebraska City, we have posted all the handouts from each training session. It’s not the same as “being there” but there is still much to learn and share. Go to NCF’s website to view, download and save these training materials, which can help your affiliated fund become even more successful.

At Annual Training in Nebraska City, NCF staff rolled out a checklist to help affiliated funds with the process of considering, planning and carrying out a fundraising event. The checklist is a tool that puts the required steps all in one place, shows timing, and helps you communicate your plans to NCF staff. Find the Fundraising Event Checklist on NCF’s website.

November and December are big months for charitable contributions, not just for NCF affiliated funds, but for nonprofits across the nation. An annual appeal (especially if it is personalized) is a great way to bring in new donors, reconnect with former donors and importantly, retain your current donors. Usually year-end appeals come in the form of a letter. Don’t be afraid to make it more than one page, and remember to include an easy mail-back device for donors to include with their contributions. Here are some ideas to think about as you write (and rewrite!) your fundraising letter. We encourage you to send your draft to your NCF affiliated fund development coordinator for help and suggestions.

November 12-18 is national “Community Foundation Week.” Here’s an idea to serve as a precursor to your year-end appeal letter. Talk to your local editor about submitting a piece that describes your community fund and what it means to your community. You may customize the template we have created, or choose to write an original piece. For more background information here’s a link to the Council on Foundation’s website.

It will be a FULL house on November 7 in Nebraska City at NCF’s 2013 Annual Banquet! With a record number of attendees and sponsors this year, the event promises to be an amazing celebration of all the good work and achievements of NCF’s affiliated funds across the state. If you are unable to join us, watch for photos and stories on our Facebook page and website following the event.

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training, Affiliated Fund Expo and Annual Banquet Celebration will be held Thursday, November 7, 2013 at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.

Register for NCF’s Annual Training, Expo and Annual Banquet

This year’s annual training features experts in the field of asset-based community development and new, emerging styles of leadership. Plus, you’ll be among the first to hear about a promising new challenge grant opportunity for affiliated funds. Training also includes sessions on communications, grantmaking, donor solicitation, effective meetings and tips for fundraising events. Download a registration form for all the events or register online today! Hurry! On-site hotel rooms are subject to availability after October 14.

Now is the time to remind your farmer/rancher donors about the advantages of using ag commodities to make charitable gifts to your affiliated fund. The Byron Community Foundation Fund received gifts of grain worth more than $139,000 last year. According to Fund Advisory Committee chair Jeremy Heitmann, “It’s a win-win situation when you do not have to recognize the sale of the gifted grain as income and you can still write off all of your expenses. A lot of people were surprised they could do this.”

Matt Rezac, director of rural community partnerships at the Sherwood Foundation in Omaha, shares comments on a recent Nebraska-Minnesota rural philanthropy learning tour. In his recent blog for the Blandin Foundation, Matt describes how money is secondary to the the power of place and relationships in forging positive change.

Connecting Young Nebraskans (CYN) is a statewide network designed to connect, empower and retain young Nebraskans with an interest in shaping the future of our state. Register to attend its Southeast Nebraska Event in Seward on October 24 & 25 to learn from specialists, generate new ideas and discover solutions to today’s challenges! And check out what’s happening on the CYN Facebook.

Given the opportunity, young people are important partners for progressive communities. Here’s a great article from the Chronicle of Philanthropy that explains how to get started, where to recruit, what to avoid and how to make the most of your creative young generation of philanthropists and volunteers.

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training, Affiliated Fund Expo and Annual Banquet Celebration will be held Thursday, November 7, 2013 at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.

Register for NCF’s Annual Training, Expo and Annual Banquet

This year’s annual training features experts in the field of asset-based community development and new, emerging styles of leadership. Plus, you’ll be among the first to hear about a promising new challenge grant opportunity for affiliated funds. Training also includes sessions on communications, grantmaking, donor solicitation, effective meetings and tips for fundraising events. Download a registration form for all the events or register online today! Hurry! On-site hotel rooms are subject to availability after October 14.

Many affiliated funds hold annual events in the fall, including fundraising events. It is extremely important to contact your NCF affiliated fund development coordinator as you begin to plan any type of event, especially a fundraising event. There are a number of compliance issues that impact the way you raise funds at events. Auctions require careful record keeping and receipting. There are sales tax, insurance, and alcohol service rules that must be followed. NCF has forms, guidelines and just plain good advice to help you make your event a success while meeting all legal requirements. Contact Jana Jensen .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Karl Shaddock .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or Greta Leach .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) as soon as possible if you plan to hold a fundraising event.

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training, Affiliated Fund Expo and Annual Banquet Celebration will be held Thursday, November 7, 2013 at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.

Small-Town Library Grant Applications Due October 1

Small-town public libraries have until October 1, 2013 to submit short-form applications for grants from NCF’s Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund. The Fund was established to provide support for public libraries located in communities with populations less than 3,000. Once the short-form application is approved, a more detailed application must be completed and submitted by January 6, 2014. Grant awards are announced in March. Learn more about this great opportunity!

Annual banquets, recognition events, grant awards ceremonies and campaign kick-offs are some of the many special events that NCF affiliated funds plan and execute. Before deciding to plan and hold a special event, there are many things to consider. The first step is to contact your Affiliated Fund Development Coordinator to let us know about your plans. Then read the Guidelines for Fundraising Events to learn about potential sales tax, insurance requirements and other compliance issues related to events. NCF is here to help you meet your special event goals!

Marcia White, who served as NCF’s Director of Community Development Philanthropy, has left NCF at the end of August. We appreciate the work Marcia has done to help build our systems and approaches, including the action planning framework we’re using with community-based affiliated funds. Her commitment to community development work has helped move our mission forward. Please join me in expressing our thanks to Marcia for her service to NCF and to Nebraska’s hometowns.

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training, Affiliated Fund Expo and Annual Banquet Celebration will be held Thursday, November 7, 2013 at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.

NCF Offers More Workshops on Building Stronger HomeTowns

Is your community ready for more growth and prosperity?

Earlier this summer, NCF held Building Stronger HomeTowns workshops in Ainsworth, Wausa and Albion. Those meetings were so successful that we’re offering the workshop again in two more locations. The workshop is designed to help you learn from the successes of other communities, explore some of the basics behind achieving and sustaining community growth and prosperity, and connect with people from other communities. You’ll be among the first Nebraskans to try the new “Nebraska Community Readiness Assessment” that will help your community plan for success.

The workshop, Building Stronger HomeTowns: Ready, Set, Go!, will be offered August 21 in O’Neill and August 28 in Burwell. Affiliated fund leaders, economic development professionals, business leaders, elected officials and anyone interested in community development will benefit from these workshops.

The evening will begin at 5:30 with check-in and a light supper which will be provided. The workshop will run from 6 – 9 p.m. Registration is free.

or by email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). If you need to register by email, please include “Building Stronger HomeTowns” in the subject line, and list the names and email addresses of all attendees and which workshop you plan to attend.

Questions? Contact Marcia White, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 402-323-7329.

The latest edition of NCF’s newsletter, Connections, is now available on the NCF website. If you didn’t get this in the mail, be sure to check it out to read stories about Imperial‘s successful efforts to recruit young people back to their town, a recap of the Building Stronger HomeTowns workshops held earlier this summer and more!

If you don’t show it you won’t sell it.
People notice headlines, look at pictures and read captions. These are what leave an impression. If you are not visually demonstrating the good work your affiliated fund is doing, people simply won’t get it. Why spend a thousand words explaining why you exist when a single good photo will say it all? Please take photos – lots of them – of your grants at work in the community. If you have purchased equipment for the school, get permission to take a picture of a student using it. Have them look at the camera and SMILE! If you have helped replace a door at the library, photograph a senior citizen using it and have them smile! Then caption it: “Mary Smith says that it’s much easier to use the library now that the front door has been replaced, thanks to support from the Hometown Community Fund, which helped provide the funding. ”

Please share your photos with me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) so I can help you promote your fund to a larger audience through NCF’s newsletters and annual report. These have inspired generous contributions from donors outside the community. Maybe your fund will be next!

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training, Affiliated Fund Expo and Annual Banquet Celebration will be held Thursday, November 7, 2013 at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.

Building Stronger HomeTowns Workshop Series to Close in Burwell

Is your community ready for more growth and prosperity?

The final Building Stronger HomeTowns workshop of the season will be held in Burwell on August 28. Attendees in O’Neill, Wausa, Albion and Ainsworth went away energized, so you won’t want to miss the final workshop! Plus, you’ll be among the first Nebraskans to try the new “Nebraska Community Readiness Assessment” that will help your community plan for success.

You can also register by email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). If you need to register by email, please include “Building Stronger HomeTowns” in the subject line, and list the names and email addresses of all attendees who plan to attend.

Questions? Contact Marcia White, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 402-323-7329.

The Nebraska Community Foundation state-wide Board of Directors meets quarterly in various locations across the state. This quarter’s meeting will be held in Ainsworth, home of the Brown County Fund, and begins on Thursday afternoon, August 22, with a community tour and dinner. The NCF Board business meeting follows on Friday. Many thanks to the Brown County Fund, their FAC, and Al Steuter, Brown County FAC chair and NCF state-wide Board member, for their hospitality and help in organzing this meeting.

The Rural Futures Institute has extended an invitation to NCF affiliated fund leaders to participate in the 2013 Rural Futures Conference on November 3-5, 2013 at The Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln. The theme for the 2013 Conference is Beyond Boundaries.

The Rural Futures Institute asks you to consider being involved with one or more of these engagement opportunities during the conference:

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training, Affiliated Fund Expo and Annual Banquet Celebration will be held Thursday, November 7, 2013 at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.

Charitable IRA Rollover Expires in December – Act Now!

With the Charitable IRA Rollover provision set to expire on December 31, 2013, now is the time to identify and visit with qualifying donors and professional advisors about the benefits of a Charitable IRA Rollover. Beverly and Gene Johnson made a major gift to the library in Wausa using a Charitable IRA Rollover. Read Beverly and Gene’s story here.

Visit NCF’s website for a fact sheet that explains the benefits of the Charitable IRA Rollover. If you have questions about this tax-wise charitable gifting option, contact Jim Gustafson, NCF’s Gift Planning Director, at (402) 323-7341 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Making personal asks is the most important and effective way to raise money for your affiliated fund. At the same time, many affiliated fund leaders say it is their least favorite part of being an affiliated fund volunteer. Why? Because someone might say no.

In this article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy, fund raising expert Carol Weisman, talks about what to do when donors say ‘No’ or ‘I’m Not Sure’. If you attended last year’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training in Kearney, you’ll remember Carol and her great stories and advice on fundraising.

Also, take a look at this NCF webinar, “Making the Ask: Responding to ‘Yes,’ ‘No’ and ‘Maybe’” facilitated by NCF’s Jana Jensen and featuring real-life experience from affiliated fund leaders Michelle Ross of the Perkins County Community Foundation Fund and Steve Brown, formerly with the Thedford Community Foundation Fund.

Are you on Facebook? Have you ‘liked’ NCF’s Facebook page? If you haven’t, you’ve missed photos and stories of great happenings in Friend, Columbus, Red Cloud, McCook, Albion, Valley County, Trumbull and more! Your fund could be on that list, too. Like our Facebook page to see what we’re sharing. Send photos and stories about your fund for us to share on our page to Reggi Carlson, NCF’s Communications Director, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training, Affiliated Fund Expo and Annual Banquet Celebration will be held Thursday, November 7, 2013 at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.

Christmas in July . . . Get Ready for Your Holiday Mailing Now

Many affiliated funds mail annual appeal letters in the Fall or around the holidays. Even though it’s only July, now is the time to start getting ready for that mailing. Are you collecting stories of the impact your affiliated fund has had in your community that you can share in the letter? Do you have pictures to share that illustrate that impact? Is your mailing list complete? Have you added donors who gave since the last mailing? Have you collected email addresses and phone numbers so you can follow up on the letter with an email or make a thank-you call? When people respond to an annual appeal, it should be the beginning of a relationship that becomes stronger over time.

Sustaining strong FAC leadership is a common challenge for affiliated funds. The Brown County Community Fund added an FAC Leadership Development Committee to their committee structure to address this challenge. According to FAC Chair Al Steuter (who also serves on the NCF statewide Board), the committee’s charge is “to develop the future leaders of the Fund –
individuals who embrace our Fund’s VISION, appreciate the power of our MISSION, and share our VALUES. Community members who are also enthusiastic and positive in supporting our community are good candidates.”

The initial FAC Leadership Development Committee, which includes Joel Klammer, Marilyn Williams, and past FAC Chair Diana Syfie, was encouraged to engage community members in ways that give them a chance to learn about the Fund and its work through participation on subcommittees, work on projects, and fundraising and to look for ways to make it fun!

Millennials Genuinely Think They Can Change The World And Their Communities

According to an article from fastcoexist.com, the vast majority of 18 – 30-year olds believe they can make a difference in their local communities. According to a survey of 12,000 millennials in 27 countries, millennials, in general, believe the best way to make a difference in the world is to improve education, followed by protecting the environment and eliminating poverty. Even more reason to engage young people in a meaningful way in the work of your affiliated fund!

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5 for Independence Day.

Due to the Independence Day holiday, the next affiliated fund e-newsletter will be sent the week of July 8.

Save the Date: NCF Annual Events Set for November 7

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training, Affiliated Fund Expo and Annual Banquet Celebration will be held Thursday, November 7 at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City. Annual Affiliated Fund Training will take place during the day and the Affiliated Fund Expo in the late afternoon and during the reception prior to the evening banquet.

This is the best opportunity NCF’s affiliated fund leaders have to interact with and learn from one another as well as from experts in fundraising, community development and managing your affiliated fund. This year’s affiliated fund training will feature a world renowned thought leader in community development—John McKnight, the celebrated co-creator of the Asset-Based Community Development strategy. Watch your email for additional information and plan now to attend!

Thinking about starting up a Facebook page for your affiliated fund? Pender-Thurston Education & Community Foundation Fund does a great job of posting interesting articles, comments, photos and more about their community. It’s not all about the Fund…it’s about people connecting with people—after all—social media really should be social! Check it out and share your thoughts and likes: www.facebook.com/PTECFF

Here are a couple donor relationship tips from the folks at Asking Matters:

Why should you set up “cultivation” meetings with prospective donors? To tell them about your organization? No. The real reason to meet with your donors is to learn about them. Prepare questions for your visits rather than sales pitches.

One of the great questions for any conversation is “What do you think?” Use it several times a day and watch what happens.

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5 for Independence Day.

Getting the Word Out: 5 Things Every FAC Should Do

By Reggi Carlson

Recruit at least one person (FAC or non-FAC volunteer) who likes to visit with people to write short articles and take photos.

Write a basic “fact sheet.” See Getting Started - Fact Sheet on NCF’s website for some ideas. Save the fact sheet as a file that can be updated as necessary. And save the old ones as a source for quick reference in the future.

Meet with the editor of your local paper (or the paper most folks read) in your community. Give him a copy of your fact sheet, explain your mission, and ask how and when he/she prefers to have stories submitted.

Take photos and get quotes for your “grants at work.” (If you have helped purchase a piece of equipment for the fire department, get a volunteer to demonstrate how it works, take lots of photos and ask how it will help in doing his or her job.)

Submit stories and photos of your grants to your local paper – even if you only made a small grant to help with the overall funding. Give credit to and thank others in the community who also helped.

For more information, contact Reggi Carlson, NCF Communications Director, (402) 323-7331 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

One more Building Stronger HomeTown workshop remains on the schedule for June 10 in Albion. The workshops in Ainsworth and Wausa have been well attended. Participants say they have valued both the information and the interaction with people from other communities.

The evening will begin at 5:30 with check-in and a light supper which will be provided. The workshop will run from 6 – 9 p.m. The event is free. Pre-registration is appreciated. Please register by noon on Friday, June 7 here: buildingstrongerhometowns-3.eventbrite.com or by email. If you need to register by email, please include “Building Stronger HomeTowns” in the subject line, and list the names and email addresses of all attendees and which workshop you plan to attend.

Questions? Contact Marcia White, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 402-323-7329.

There’s at least one in every organization – that special volunteer who gives a little more, who is always there, who never gives up. Recognize that person in your community by nominating them for a Governor’s Point of Light Award, a statewide collaborative initiative of ServeNebraska and the Office of the Governor.

Go to the ServeNebraska website to download, complete and submit your Governor’s Points of Light Award nomination, for someone who has made a big difference to your community! The application deadline is June 15, 2013.

If you have questions about the awards or nomination process, please contact Kimberle Hall at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 402-471-6228.

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Monday, May 27, for Memorial Day.

Put Some Pow! Into Your Press on Scholarships

Many affiliated funds provide scholarships through various accounts, and the press releases we see are usually fairly cut and dried. Here’s an example from McCook of how you can make your story come alive by using quotes from the donor, the recipient, and still get in a plug for the work of your affiliated fund. Print this one out and save it as a model for the next time you announce your scholarships!

For more information, contact Reggi Carlson, NCF Communications Director, (402) 323-7331 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Join the Nebraska Community Foundation at a workshop designed to help you learn from the successes of other communities and explore some of the basics behind achieving and sustaining community growth and prosperity.

The workshop, Building Stronger HomeTowns: Ready, Set, Go!, will be offered three times in three different locations: May 29 in Ainsworth, June 4 in Wausa, and June 10 in Albion. The workshops build on the four pillars of HomeTown Competiveness (HTC) and on research done in communities that have used HTC. That research led to the development of the “Community Readiness Assessment.” The workshop will feature an interactive demonstration of that assessment tool as a way to identify how you can help your community develop the capacities it needs to implement and sustain positive change.

Each evening will begin at 5:30 with check-in and a light supper which will be provided. The workshop will run from 6 – 9 p.m. The event is free. Pre-registration is appreciated. Registration deadlines are listed on each registration site at the links below.

or by email. If you need to register by email, please include “Building Stronger HomeTowns” in the subject line, and list the names and email addresses of all attendees and which workshop you plan to attend.

Questions? Contact Marcia White, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 402-323-7329.

A new scholarship honoring Ponca Chief Standing Bear seeks to improve the college-going rate for Native students in Nebraska. The Chief Standing Bear Journey for Justice Scholarship will go to Native students in Nebraska seeking higher education. Nebraska author Joe Starita is using the proceeds from the sale of his book, I Am A Man: Chief Standing Bear’s Journey for Justice, to fund an endowed scholarship program for persons of Native American heritage living in the state of Nebraska

The Chief Standing Bear Journey for Justice Scholarship Fund is a donor-advised fund through the Nebraska Community Foundation. Anyone can contribute to the fund. The fund is permanently endowed; only the investment earnings are used to make scholarships. This means that the scholarship fund will remain in place and continue to grow for generations.

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Monday, May 27, for Memorial Day.

NCF Offers Workshops on Building Stronger HomeTowns

Is your community ready for more growth and prosperity?

Join the Nebraska Community Foundation at a workshop designed to help you learn from the successes of other communities and explore some of the basics behind achieving and sustaining community growth and prosperity. Be among the first Nebraskans to try the new “Nebraska Community Readiness Assessment” that will help your community plan for success.

The workshop, Building Stronger HomeTowns: Ready, Set, Go!, will be offered three times in three different locations: May 29 in Ainsworth, June 4 in Wausa, and June 10 in Albion. Affiliated fund leaders, economic development professionals, business leaders, elected officials and anyone interested in community development will benefit from these workshops which are presented with the support of USDA Rural Development.

Each evening will begin at 5:30 with check-in and a light supper which will be provided. The workshop will run from 6 – 9 p.m. Registration is free.

or by email. If you need to register by email, please include “Building Stronger HomeTowns” in the subject line, and list the names and email addresses of all attendees and which workshop you plan to attend.

Questions? Contact Marcia White, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 402-323-7329.

Grants through NCF’s Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund are available for libraries in communities with populations under 3,000. The Fund Advisory Committee is especially interested in program enhancement grants and planning grants that lead to library accreditation. However, the FAC will accept applications for facility improvement grants as well. All grants require a certain level of matching funds and evidence that the project has broad community support. Please share this information with your local library if your community has fewer than 3,000 people. Review the guidelines and application procedures at http://www.nebcommfound.org/fund/kreutzbennett.

For more information, contact Reggi Carlson, NCF Communications Director, (402) 323-7331 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

What are the five reasons people might say no when you ask them to support your affiliated fund? According to Asking Matters.com, they are “Wrong program. Wrong time. Wrong amount. Wrong asset. Wrong asker. These ‘no’s’ are just starting places for discussion.”

Hear stories of how some of your fellow affiliated fund leaders responded to “yes, no and maybe” in the archived NCF webinar, Making the Ask. In addition, Jana Jensen, NCF’s Director of Community Fund Development – Western Nebraska, provides practical advice on what to do when you hear “yes,” “no” or “maybe” from a potential donor as well as what follow-up is needed for each response. (Login is required to view the webinar.)

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Friday, April 26, for the Arbor Day holiday.

Omaha World Herald Editorial Features Gifts to NCF Affiliated Funds

A short editorial in the April 22 edition of the Omaha World-Herald shines a light on how NCF donors and volunteers are helping Nebraskans in several important ways. Each of the stories mentioned involves a gift NCF helped arrange to one of our affiliated funds.

If you have questions about how your fund can use planned giving to build its endowment or work with professional advisors in your area to encourage planned giving, contact Jim Gustafson, NCF’s Gift Planning Director, at (402) 323-7341 or at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Here’s a great way to promote your affiliated fund! Each month the Rural Electric Nebraskan is delivered to more than 63,000 households throughout more than 30 rural public power districts. Each district regularly includes a customized insert that features local news and information.

Members of the Brown County Fund took advantage of a free opportunity to promote their fund in the March edition. Take a look at the Brown County Fund Insert, then make plans to do something similar in your public power district’s local publication. Here is contact information for each district and more information about the magazine. If you need help getting started contact Reggi Carlson, NCF Communications Director at (402) 323-7331 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Nice job Brown County!

You can learn a lot about asking people to support your affiliated fund by reflecting on your own experience as a donor. The next time you make a gift to a charitable cause, pay close attention to how you are treated as a donor and how it makes you feel. Then, use that to improve the experience for the people who support your affiliated fund.

The Action Planning Process helps your affiliated fund develop plans that keep you on track to your long-term endowment goals and the future you hope to create for your community. According to Rori Erickson, Chair of the Boone County Area Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, “We were an engaged and well intentioned group but we lacked focus and momentum. The Action Planning process reined us in, provided direction, and fueled that spark we so desperately needed!” If your affiliated fund is interested in Action Planning, contact your primary development staff contact: Greta Leach, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 402-323-7343, Jana Jensen, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 308-588-6299, or Karl Shaddock, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 302-344-9363.

Dale and Janie Zadina of Ord both care deeply about their community—they both serve on the Valley County Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee. Thanks to the extension of the Chartiable IRA Rollver, Dale recently made a significant gift to the Fund’s unrestricted endowment. Read Dale and Janie’s story on page 6 of the Spring issue of NCF’s Connections newsletter.

The tax-free Charitable IRA Rollover has been extended for 2013 only. Visit NCF’s website for a fact sheet to learn more about how you can use the Charitable IRA Rollover to help people give to your affiliated fund. If you have questions on how to help your donors use the Charitable IRA Rollover contact Jim Gustafson, NCF’s Gift Planning Director, at (402) 323-7341 or at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

With April 15 looming, many of us have taxes on our minds. It’s a good time for a reminder that NCF and our affiliated funds must pay and charge Nebraska state and local sales tax. While NCF and our affiliated funds are “tax exempt” for income tax purposes under federal law, Nebraska law does not exempt most charitable organizations from paying or collecting sales and use tax.

When you make purchases for your affiliated fund, be sure the vendor has included sales tax. If sales tax has not been included, use tax may be required to be remitted to the State. NCF and its affiliated funds must also charge sales tax when selling items for fundraising purposes (including at silent or live auctions) or charging for admission to events such as dinners and fundraisers. Detailed information on sales tax is available on the NCF website. If your fund is planning an event or you have questions about sales and use tax, contact Les Long at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

National Volunteer Week (April 21 – 27) and the ServeNebraska Week of Service (April 22 – 28) both seek to recognize and encourage service as a way to engage and transform communities. Check out both websites for project and recognition ideas but most of all, remember to say, “Thank you!” to the volunteers who make your affiliated fund a means of positive change for your community.

During National Volunteer Month, NCF says . . .
to all our affiliated fund leaders and volunteers (that’s you!) for giving so generously of your time, talent and treasure, and making Nebraska a better place to live, raise our families, do business, work and enjoy the good life.

In 2012, the Imperial Community Foundation Fund awarded native son Jared Knobbe a scholarship that helped him become a certified professional farrier – a trade he is using to work his way through college. This summer, Jared will serve as a Nebraska Rural Futures Intern working on historic housing preservation in Red Cloud, Nebraska, a program supported in part by the Red Cloud Community Foundation Fund. Read more about Jared’s entrepreneurial journey in this Imperial Republican article, written by Co-publisher Lori Pankonin. Lori is also a member of the NCF Board and the Imperial Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee.

National Volunteer Week (April 21 – 27) and the ServeNebraska Week of Service (April 22 – 28) both seek to recognize and encourage service as a way to engage and transform communities. Check out both websites for project and recognition ideas but most of all, remember to say, “Thank you!” to the volunteers who make your affiliated fund a means of positive change for your community.

Both the Nebraska Community Foundation and HomeTown Competitiveness (HTC) are on Facebook! NCF’s Facebook page features affiliated fund success stories and NCF news. The HTC page highlights stories on entrepreneurship, community leadership and philanthropy, and youth engagement. If you haven’t already, “like” these pages today to get the most current information and to share your success stories and good ideas with others. If your affiliated fund has a Facebook page, help us share your success by posting your affiliated fund stories to our pages and sharing our posts with your followers.

Even though most of us are thinking more about planting than about harvest, Nebraska’s bounty continues to benefit many affiliated funds through gifts of grain and livestock. Gifts of ag commodities are a tax-wise way for farmers and ranchers to support your fund and NCF receives gifts of commodities to benefit its affiliated funds almost daily.

Dan and Sarah Miller of Shickley made a five-year pledge of gifts of grain to the Shickley Community Foundation Fund. Dan, Chair of the Fund Advisory Committee, says, “Giving bushels of corn instead of dollars allows us to make a larger gift to our community fund, because we can still deduct all our production costs on our income taxes. It’s a really smart way to give back.”

Producers should consult with their tax advisors to determine whether a gift of commodities is appropriate for their tax situation. Learn more about how to help donors make gifts of commodities, and download templates of a press release and flyers you can use to promote this method of giving at Gifts of Grain and Livestock.

Watch your mailbox for the Spring 2013 issue of NCF’s Connections newsletter. This issue features a story about how the Arnold Community Foundation Fund supports a student-run business that is getting national recognition. You’ll find affiliated fund success stories from across the state as well as a recap of NCF’s 2012 Annual Events and more! If you have a story about your affiliated fund that you’d like to share, contact Communications Director Reggi Carlson, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (402) 323-7331.

The Nebraska Community Foundation state-wide Board of Directors meets quarterly in various locations across the state. The meeting originally scheduled for Columbus on February 22 was snowed out. The meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 27, and will include an event for the Board to meet Columbus FAC members and community leaders. Future 2013 meetings will take place in McCook, Ainsworth and Nebraska City.

Asking our friends and neighbors to support our affiliated fund with a specific amount strikes fear in the hearts of many volunteers. Here’s a 4-minute video with a real-life story about getting valuable advice from a donor when fear got the best of this asker. Even though the asker in this case was a fundraising professional, the lesson holds true for volunteers alike. Thanks to Christopher Davenport’s Movie Mondays for Fundraising Professionals for the video.

Scholarship Selection Committee nominations forms are due to NCF by March 1. You cannot begin choosing your scholarship recipients until NCF has received your forms and approved the nominations.

It’s ‘Earnings’ Not ‘Interest’

When writing articles or talking about your affiliated fund’s endowment, don’t make the mistake of using the word “interest” to describe how your Fund uses its endowment payout to reinvest in the community. This is technically incorrect, and with interest rates at historic lows (less than 1%), this language may be discouraging to readers.

Your endowment “generates investment earnings” which are a lot higher than simple interest, and include interest, dividends and appreciation in the value of the endowment assets. We hope this clarification will help you communicate the value of building an endowment with your constituents.

Congratulations to all the Youth in Philanthropy Contest winners in Northeast Nebraska. And hats off to the Philanthropy Council of Northeast Nebraska (an account within the Norfolk Community Foundation Fund) and the Connie Fund (an NCF donor-advised fund) for organizing and sponsoring this inspirational program for young people who are making a positive difference in their community. Read all about this terrific project on NCF’s Facebook page.

The story of nine communities coming together to build leadership and entrepreneurship in Holt County is featured in a recent Rural Futures Lab blog. There’s also a link to the video story of young families moving back to work and raise their families, thanks in large part to NCF’s affiliated fund, Holt County Economic Development. Check it out and pass it along!

As affiliated fund leaders, you’re out to tackle some big issues. But as passionate as you are about your community, it can sometimes seem like nobody is listening. Don’t despair! In this 3-minute Ted talk, the founder of CD Baby Derek Sivers provides some entertaining and valuable leadership lessons.

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Monday, February 18, for the President’s Day holiday.

NCF Website Easier to Navigate

NCF recently completed an update to our website’s navigation system. Improvements include drop-down main menus and fly-out secondary menus to minimize clicks. Also, all downloads and links to other sites open into new windows so you won’t accidentally leave the site if you close the window. Page locations have not changed, so you will still be able to find the content you’re looking for in the same places you’re used to. We will make additional improvements in the future and keep you informed as we do. To let us know what you think of these improvements, contact Reggi Carlson, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

NCF’s Connections spring newsletter is in production now! Submit your affiliated fund’s stories and news updates right away to Reggi Carlson at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Or give Reggi a call at (402) 323-7331 for guidance and suggestions.

With support from the new Rural Futures Institute, the Heartland Center for Leadership Development is partnering with the University of Nebraska on a rural community summer internship program for UNL undergraduates. Summer 2013 is the first summer for these internships. If your community is interested in hosting one of these two-member student leader teams, information for community applicants is available on pages 3 and 4 of this flyer. Contact Milan Wall, 402-474-7667 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for details or with questions. The deadline for community selection is February 22.

The Hebron Community Foundation Fund was the first affiliated fund to submit its Scholarship Selection Committee nominations forms! Way to go, Hebron, and thanks! Remember, to be in compliance with the law, your affiliated fund cannot begin the scholarship selection process until NCF has received your forms and approved the nominations. Please return the appropriate forms to NCF by March 1.

The Nebraska Community Foundation state-wide Board of Directors meets quarterly in various locations across the state. The next meeting will be held in Columbus on February 22. The 17-member Board will tour the community and meet informally with the Columbus Area Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee and community members the evening before the Board meeting. Future 2013 meetings will take place in McCook, Ainsworth and Nebraska City.

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Monday, February 18, for the President’s Day holiday.

Time to Appoint Scholarship Selection Committees for 2013

NCF’s 2013 Scholarship Selection Committee packets have been mailed to affiliated fund leaders. Be sure to return the appropriate forms to NCF by March 1. To be in compliance with the law, your affiliated fund cannot begin the scholarship selection process until NCF has received your forms and approved the nominations. If your affiliated fund does not award scholarships, please complete and return Attachment B from the packet.

If you have questions regarding the forms, please contact one of the following NCF staff members: Greta Leach, Les Long or Marcia White at (402) 323-7330; Karl Shaddock at (308) 344-9363 or Jana Jensen at (308) 588-6299.

The financial reports for each affiliated fund for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 were mailed last week. These reports are sent to the individual designated as the key contact for each affiliated fund with the understanding that the key contact will share the reports with the Fund Advisory Committee and others involved with projects and accounts. If you have questions about the report or need further information, contact Diane Wilson at (402) 323-7330 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development is accepting applications from municipalities for funding available through the Civic and Community Center Financing Fund. The last day to submit an application is February 15.

The funding may be used to construct new civic centers, or renovate or expand existing civic or community centers that also may include converting, rehabilitating or reusing historic buildings. Funding exclusions include planning, programming, marketing or advertising. If your community is working on a community center project, you may want to let your local government know about this opportunity.

Most Nebraska municipalities are eligible and may apply for a grant in competition with other municipalities. For more information, including the preliminary application form, go to the Civic and Community Center Financing Fund page on DED’s website, or contact Kevin Andersen at 800-426-6505, 402-471-3775, or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Does a volunteer in your community go “above and beyond” to help others? Now is the time to nominate them for one of Serve Nebraska’s volunteer awards. The First Lady’s Outstanding Community Service Awards honor adult, youth and group nominees in a variety of categories. Honorees will be recognized at the First Lady’s Awards Luncheon on Friday, April 12, 2013 at the Kearney Country Club. The application deadline for these awards is February 15.

Details including award categories, the nomination form and instructions, and past honorees are available online or by contacting Kimberle Hall, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 402-471-6228.

The information on this page was sent as an e-mail message to NCF affiliated fund leaders on January 31, 2013.

January 4, 2013

Affiliated Fund E-Newsletter

Check out this edition of the bi-weekly affiliated fund e-newsletter.

New Year’s Resolutions for Affiliated Funds

Many of us make New Year’s resolutions to help us get healthier or improve our lives in some way. NCF staffers came up with a list of 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Affiliated Funds that will help you improve fund performance and make a bigger impact on your community. Think about taking on two or three of these in the coming months. Here are the first five; watch the next newsletter for the rest of the list.

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Monday, January 21 for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

1. Keep Your FAC List Current

At least once a year (now would be a good time), send NCF an up-to-date list of your current FAC members. This helps us get messages to the right people and keep everyone informed. Find the Fund Advisory Committee member list form in the Find a Form section of the NCF website and submit the completed form to Angie Parrish, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). If changes occur during the year, email Angie with complete information – who’s on, who’s off and contact information. Be sure to include FAC members’ email addresses!

Making a grant is only the first step to community impact. Follow up with your grantees, take photos of your affiliated fund’s grant dollars at work and share the photos and stories with NCF so we can share them, too. See examples of community stories on NCF’s website. Send your own photos and stories to Reggi Carlson, NCF’s Communications Director, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Get more tips on telling your story in the Marketing and Communications section of the NCF website.

Your affiliated fund should always know who your next chair will be. Developing a deep and broad leadership base is essential to creating success for your affiliated fund. Consult the FAC Leadership Transition page on the NCF website or watch one of several archived webinars on Affiliated Fund Development for tips on recruiting, retaining and engaging volunteer leaders.

Asking for donations and accepting contributions is serious business. NCF and its affiliated funds are held to the highest standards of legal compliance. It’s important to clearly express how your affiliated fund is related to the Nebraska Community Foundation. Remember, you serve on a Fund Advisory Committee (not a “Board”), and your organization is an affiliated fund (not a “Foundation”). Review complete guidelines and see examples of correct and incorrect language in the Communicating the Affiliated Fund/NCF Relationship section of the NCF website. You can download the handy reference chart from that page.

The NCF team is here to help your affiliated fund keep your New Year’s Resolutions for better affiliated fund performance. Contact us with questions or for moral support!

The information on this page was sent as an e-mail message to NCF affiliated fund leaders on January 4, 2013.

January 17, 2013

Affiliated Fund E-Newsletter

This week’s newsletter contains the second five New Year’s Resolutions for Affiliated Funds and important information about opportunities for charitable giving created by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the fiscal cliff agreement).

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Monday, January 21 for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Act Now on the Charitable IRA Rollover

Legislation passed early this month allows your donors age 70½ or older to make tax-free distributions of up to $100,000 from an IRA to charities . . . and these gifts may be retroactive for the 2012 tax year if they are made before February 1, 2013! Go to NCF’s Charitable IRA Rollover site to download details on how the law works, fact sheets to share with potential donors, and a news release you can customize and send to your local editor. For the right donor, this is an opportunity of a lifetime to make a gift of a lifetime to your affiliated fund.

Many of us make New Year’s resolutions to help us get healthier or improve our lives in some way. NCF staffers came up with 10 New Year’s Resolutions that will help you improve your affiliated fund’s performance and make a bigger impact on your community. Here are the second five resolutions. Check out the last newsletter for the first five resolutions.

6. Send Contributions to NCF Regularly

Keep your donors happy by sending any contributions you receive into NCF regularly. Your donors will get the receipts they’re expecting and your fund reports will be as accurate as possible. Find the Contribution Submission form in the Find a Form section of the NCF website. If you have questions about contribution processing, contact Amy Fey, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (402) 323-7334.

Sometimes affiliated funds just can’t wait to spread good news and announce their grants or scholarship recipients. Before you do this, contact your development staff person to request a review. The best time for NCF to approve proposed grants is before you announce them publicly or send in a disbursement request. We do this to make sure the grants are in compliance with all laws and NCF policy. Please allow at least a week for NCF to review grants to make sure they are allowable. You can find answers to frequently asked questions about grantmaking as well as a suite of grantmaking tools – sample forms, letters, etc. – on NCF’s website.

8. Have NCF Review All Grant Applications Your Fund is Making to Other Funders

If your affiliated fund is considering applying for a grant, the best place to start is by reviewing NCF’s Guidelines for Applying for Grants on the NCF website. Since NCF is the legal entity that holds the 501(c)(3) status for all affiliated funds, NCF must review all grant applications before they are submitted and may need to sign the application. To ensure that your grant application is submitted to the grantor on time, please send the application to us for review at least two weeks before the grantor’s deadline.

You might have noticed that every one of our 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Affiliated Funds includes a link to a page on NCF’s website. The website is a rich resource for many questions. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, try using the search box in the upper right corner of the home page. Watch for a new, updated navigation system coming your way soon!

NCF can best help your affiliated fund make the difference you want to make in your community if we know what you’re doing. Keep your development staff person in the loop by copying them on FAC meeting notices and minutes, letting them know about any special events that you are planning and keeping them informed about any changes in your affiliated fund or FAC.

The NCF team is here to help your affiliated fund keep your New Year’s Resolutions for better affiliated fund performance. Contact us with questions or for moral support!

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, December 24 and 25, 2012 for Christmas.

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Tuesday, January 1, 2013 for the New Year holiday.

Send Contributions in Daily in December

Help us help you build stronger donor relationships by making sure your donors get the charitable deduction they expect on their 2012 tax returns. During the month of December, send any contributions you receive to NCF every day. This will help us process contributions and issue receipts for 2012 donations quickly and efficiently. Any contributions postmarked after December 31, 2012 – regardless of the date on the check – will be recorded as a 2013 donation.

The Contribution Submission Form is available on NCF’s website. If you have questions about contribution processing, contact Amy Fey, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (402) 323-7334.

NCF requires the Fund Advisory Committee of each affiliated fund to review three policies each year. These policies are the Confidentiality Policy, which addresses the need for handling confidential information related to donors and prospective donors; the Conflict of Interest Policy, which addresses the identification and handling of potential or actual conflicts of interest; and the Whistleblower Policy, which addresses the handling of concerns regarding possible violations of laws, violations of the Conflict of Interest Policy, financial mismanagement or discrimination or harassment.

Please review these policies at an upcoming FAC meeting to make sure your FAC members understand each one. You don’t need to submit anything to NCF, but please note in the minutes of your meeting that the FAC has reviewed the policies. Contact your development staff person if you have questions.

NCF recognizes that affiliated fund leaders are busy people. To help you find answers to your affiliated fund questions quickly, we’ve created a downloadable Affiliated Fund Resource Guide that covers some of the basics of affiliated fund operations and addresses many of the questions we hear most frequently. The information is organized into these sections: Governance and Leadership Development, Finances, Marketing and Communications, Donor Development and Fundraising, Impact Grantmaking and NCF Web Resources.

Affiliated Funds that attended 2011 Annual Training or 2012 Regional Meetings received hard copies of this guide. Due to the size, we are not able to mail hard copies, but are pleased to provide this resource online.

If you send an annual holiday letter to family and friends, make sure you mention the work you do for your community through your affiliated fund. This helps spread the word about your affiliated fund and gives you the chance to tell people why this work is important to you. It’s an easy and personal way to share the joy of of helping make your community better.

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, December 24 and 25, 2012 for Christmas.

The Nebraska Community Foundation offices will be closed on Tuesday, January 1, 2013 for the New Year holiday.

Send Contributions in Daily in December

Make sure your donors get the charitable deduction they expect on their 2012 tax returns. During December, send all contributions you receive to NCF every day. This will help us process contributions and issue receipts for 2012 donations quickly and efficiently. Any contributions postmarked after December 31, 2012 – regardless of the date on the check – will be recorded as a 2013 donation.

The Contribution Submission Form is available on NCF’s website. If you have questions about contribution processing, contact Amy Fey, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (402) 323-7334.

NCF Gift Planning Director Jim Gustafson has received the 2012 J. Robert Sandberg Distinguished Service Award, presented by the Nebraska Partnership for Philanthropic Planning.

The award recognizes notable and distinctive service to the planned giving profession. Recipients must have tenure in the planned giving profession and must have made a difference, demonstrated their commitment, and mentored others in the field of planned giving.

December is a time when donors think of their favorite charities for year-end giving and taxes. With the “fiscal cliff” dominating discussions in Washington, proposals to eliminate the charitable tax deduction have caused great concern for nonprofits and donors. An opinion piece in the “Chronicle for Philanthropy” earlier this month, estimates that if a loss of the charitable deduction caused people who itemize deductions to reduce their giving by just 20 percent, that would mean a $34-billion drop in charitable giving and a loss of 680,000 jobs. More importantly, nonprofit organizations would face challenges in delivering charitable services, especially if the government cuts spending for these programs. This article provides a valuable analysis.

Congratulations to Norfolk for being selected 10/11 KOLN’s OurTown during the week of December 10th! Each day this week, a different segment highlighting great things happening in Norfolk has aired during the news. The Norfolk Area Community Fund’s Youth Philanthropy Contest will be featured on Thursday evening and all segments will run again in a half-hour special on Saturday, Dec. 15th at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 16th at noon. You may also follow stories online at: http://www.1011now.com/ourtown

“ This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays!”

Best training ever! I wouldn’t miss it! I love connecting with FAC members from other towns!

Those are just a few of the comments we’ve heard affiliated fund leaders say about NCF’s Annual Training. It’s not too late to register for this year’s training or the NCF Annual Banquet Celebration on Thursday, November 8. The registration period has been extended through Sunday, November 4.

Download detailed session descriptions and event registration forms from NCF’s website. Costs associated with attending this training can be paid from your affiliated fund’s general account. If you are paying by transfer from an affiliated fund account, submit all the registration forms from your affiliated fund leaders at one time with a signed disbursement request. If you are not paying from your affiliated fund’s general account, you can register online for both the training and the banquet.

Your affiliated fund works hard to make a difference in your town. Community Foundation Week, November 12 – 18, will be celebrated all across the country and is prime opportunity to highlight the part your affiliated fund plays in creating and supporting a thriving local community.

NCF has developed a template you may use as a guide to promote Community Foundation Week. NCF suggests that you insert your local information and ask your newspaper editor to run the article – either as a letter to the editor, or even better, as an opinion piece from the editorial staff. Download the template from NCF’s website and contact Reggi Carlson, NCF Communications Director, if you have questions. If your affiliated fund has a Facebook page, this is also a good opportunity to make several posts during the week highlighting your affiliated fund’s accomplishments and aspirations for your community.

Many affiliated funds transition leadership at this time of year. To help your new leaders hit the ground running, make sure they view the webinars recorded earlier this year, Dollars and Sense: Training for Treasurers and Chairing Your FAC: Success with Sanity. You may want to watch them with people you are trying to recruit into those positions so they’re aware not only of the responsibilities of the position, but also the support that is available to them. Login is required to view these webinars.

Year after year, FAC members tell us that NCF’s annual events – training, affiliated fund expo, and banquet – are by far the training they value most. And it shows. Our data analysis shows that our most successful funds are the funds that have the most people attend NCF trainings most frequently. For example, the most effective funds have had almost four times as many attendances at the past three Annual Trainings than other funds.

The deadline to register for training is October 31, but the block of rooms at the Holiday Inn expires today, October 18. You will still get the NCF room rate after today but only if rooms are available.

Download detailed session descriptions and event registration forms from NCF’s website. Costs associated with attending this training can be paid from your affiliated fund’s general account. If you are paying by transfer from an affiliated fund account, submit all the registration forms from your affiliated fund leaders at one time with a signed disbursement request. If you are not paying from your affiliated fund’s general account, you can register online for both the training and the banquet.

You’ve worked hard this year and your fund has made a difference in your community. Now’s the time to tell the world! (At least the NCF world.) Every affiliated fund is encouraged to have a display at the Affiliated Fund Expo which takes place from 5 – 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 8, just prior to the NCF Annual Banquet. There is no cost to your affiliated fund to be part of the Expo. Review the affiliated fund display guidance online and contact Teri Alley-Davis, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (402) 323-7342 by October 31, to reserve your space. If you need electricity for your display, please mention that in your RSVP.

On October 30 -31 in Kearney, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City – Omaha Branch is sponsoring a regional “Grow Your Own Conference: Entrepreneurship-Based Development” on rural economic development. In partnership with the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, this conference explores entrepreneurship-based economic development models that are revitalizing many communities across the nation. National and regional experts will describe how these strategies are rejuvenating rural communities. For details and to register, visit the conference website. Registration deadline is Friday, October 26.

America’s Farmers Grow CommunitiesSM, presented by the Monsanto Fund, gives farmers the opportunity to win $2,500 for their favorite community nonprofit organization. One winner for each eligible county is randomly selected from all the eligible entrants in that county. Farmers designate the recipient of the gift when they enter, so encourage producers in your area to designate your affiliated fund. Make sure they have the correct name for your fund and include “an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation” after the name of your fund on the entry form. Since this is not a grant program, it’s not necessary for NCF to review entries.

More than 70 counties in Nebraska are eligible so chances are good that producers in your area are eligible. For details, online and printable entry forms, and a list of eligible counties, visit GrowCommunities.com. The deadline for entries is November 30, 2012.

Many affiliated funds transition leadership at this time of year. To help your new leaders hit the ground running, make sure they view the webinars recorded earlier this year, Dollars and Sense: Training for Treasurers and Chairing Your FAC: Success with Sanity. You may want to watch them with people you are trying to recruit into those positions so they’re aware not only of the responsibilities of the position, but also the support that is available to them. Login is required to view these webinars.

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training and Annual Banquet Celebration will be held Thursday, November 8 at the Holiday Inn in Kearney. Affiliated fund leaders tell us that this event is one of the most valuable learning experiences they attend. You will learn strategies for affiliated fund success from both experts and peers.

Download detailed session descriptions and event registration forms from NCF’s website. Costs associated with attending this training can be paid from your affiliated fund’s general account. In fact, coming to training together is a good way to build capacity and camaraderie within your FAC. If you are paying by transfer from an affiliated fund account, we ask that each person who is attending complete a registration form and you submit all the registration forms from your affiliated fund at one time with a signed disbursement request. If you are not paying from your affiliated fund’s general account, you can register online for both the training and the banquet.

Many NCF affiliated funds schedule events during this time of year. A successful event is more than just engaging the community or raising money. It also means following guidelines for sales tax, ticket sales, insurance, etc. to minimize risk for your affiliated fund. Make sure you review the Guidelines for Fundraising Events available to read or download from NCF’s website and contact NCF staff to review your plans for the event.

NCF is seeing a marked increase in the number of grant applications from affiliated funds to outside organizations. If your affiliated fund is considering applying for a grant, the best place to start is by reviewing NCF’s Guidelines for Applying for Grants on the NCF website. Since NCF is the legal entity that holds the 501(c)(3) status for all affiliated funds, NCF must review all grant applications before they are submitted. To ensure that your grant application is submitted to the grantor on time, please send the application to us for review at least two weeks before the grantor’s deadline.

A great source of information about applying for grants is the NCF webinar produced last fall. Diane Wilson, COO, Reggi Carlson, Communications Director, and Jana Jensen, Director of Community Fund Development – Western Nebraska give step-by-step instructions on how to apply for grant funding including where to find grant opportunities, policies and procedures and writing the application. You can view the entire webinar at once or in sections: Where to Find Grants, NCF Grant Application Policies and How to Apply.

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training is Thursday, November 8 at the Holiday Inn in Kearney. The NCF Annual Banquet Celebration will be held that evening. Download information and registration forms now or watch for online registration coming soon!

Annual Training Plenary Speakers Bring Outside Expertise

NCF’s Affiliated Fund Annual Training will feature two plenary speakers that bring special expertise to help you build your affiliated fund. John Fulwider, PhD, will help you form high-performing affiliated fund leadership teams based on people’s strengths by combining Gallup’s Strengths Based Leadership principles and the responsibilities of affiliated fund leaders.

Fundraising guru Carol Weisman, MSW, CSP, will help you turn ordinary affiliated fund leaders into Fundraising Superheroes and get EVERYONE on your team involved in fund development. John and Carol will each give a plenary talk (large group session) and a break-out session. Additional break-out sessions will feature NCF staff and affiliated fund leaders sharing recommended practices and lessons learned.

Detailed session descriptions and event registration forms are available for download on NCF’s website. The primary contact for each affiliated fund will receive two copies of the printed registration materials in the mail. Watch your email for a notice of online registration coming soon!

Friday, October 5 is World Smile Day, designated to honor the creator of the smiley face. This is a great opportunity to feature photos of your smiling donors and grant recipients on your affiliated fund’s Facebook page. Research shows that people pay more attention to posts with photos so World Smile Day is a good excuse to get more photos of people who care about your fund on your page. (If your affiliated fund doesn’t have a Facebook page, watch this webinar to find out how to create one. Login required)

Many NCF affiliated funds send out annual appeals during the holiday season. Now is the time to make sure that your lists – both snail mail and email – are up-to-date. More and more supporters are open to engaging with your affiliated fund online, even if they choose to donate offline. Capturing email addresses will enable your affiliated fund to follow up on your mailings and to update your donors more regularly on the impact you are having in your community. Make sure you ask for permission to send people email when you get their email address. Regardless of whether your use snail mail, email or both, having a clean, current list is key to a successful campaign.

In 2010, NCF established the Community Legacy Award to recognize affiliated funds when 100% of their Fund Advisory Committee members make a planned gift to benefit their community. Planned gifts are one of the most effective tools for building your endowment; having your FAC make commitments first gives you greater credibility with prospective donors. Guidelines for the Community Legacy Award are now available online. In order for your affiliated fund to be recognized at this year’s Annual Banquet Celebration on November 8, NCF must receive documentation of all gifts by October 1.

In spite of the drought and challenges facing agricultural producers this year, gifts of grain and livestock continue to be a strategic way for people to give charitably and manage tax implications of the current economy. Recorded last fall, this 12-minute presentation by NCF President and CEO Jeff Yost will help you and your FAC members understand the power and potential of gifts of commodities.

“Think of each donor contact as a small thread you are gradually winding into a rope. The more threads you wind together, the stronger and more resilient the rope. The same is true with donor relationships.”

NCF’s Annual Affiliated Fund Training is set for Thursday, November 8 at the Holiday Inn in Kearney. The NCF Annual Banquet Celebration will be held that evening. Mark your calendar and watch for registration information!

Community Legacy Award

In 2010, NCF established the Community Legacy Award to recognize affiliated funds when 100% of their Fund Advisory Committee members make a planned gift to benefit their community. Planned gifts are one of the most effective tools for building your endowment; having your FAC make commitments first gives you greater credibility with prospective donors. Guidelines for the Community Legacy Award are now available online. In order for your affiliated fund to be recognized at this year’s Annual Banquet Celebration on November 8, NCF must receive documentation of all gifts by October 1.

America’s Farmers Grow Communities, presented by the Monsanto Fund, gives farmers the opportunity to win $2,500 for their favorite community nonprofit organization. One winner for each eligible county is randomly selected from all the eligible entrants in that county. Farmers designate the recipient of the gift when they enter, so encourage producers in your area to designate your affiliated fund. Make sure they have the correct name for your fund and include “an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation” after the name of your fund on the entry form. Since this is not a grant program, it’s not necessary for NCF to review entries.

More than 70 counties in Nebraska are eligible so chances are good that producers in your area are eligible. For details, online and printable entry forms, and a list of eligible counties, visit GrowCommunities.com. The deadline for entries is November 30, 2012.

Your community likely has a rich history and culture that could interest visitors and tourists if developed and marketed properly. To learn more about heritage tourism, take advantage of a free webinar on Thursday, September 20. No registration is necessary but details and connection information are available online through the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development.

In spite of the drought and challenges facing agricultural producers this year, gifts of grain and livestock continue to be a strategic way for people to give charitably and manage tax implications of the current economy. Recorded last fall, this 12-minute presentation by NCF President and CEO Jeff Yost will help you and your FAC members understand the power and potential of gifts of commodities.

NCF’s Annual Affiliated Fund Training is set for Thursday, November 8 at the Holiday Inn in Kearney. The NCF Annual Banquet Celebration will be held that evening. Mark your calendar and watch for registration information!

Where You Live Affects How You Give

A special report released this week by the Chronicle of Philanthropy shows that generosity varies greatly from one region of the country to another. The study also shows that wealthy people aren’t the most generous. According to the Chronicle, “Middle-class Amer¬i¬cans give a far bigger share of their discretionary income to charities than the rich.” This NPR story gives a good overview of the study which supports NCF’s philosophy and the Rural Development Philanthropy principles of inclusiveness and participation. Everyone’s gift is important!

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) in Curtis has developed the Rural Community Career Development course designed to help high school students investigate career possibilities that exist in their hometowns. The year-long course engages high school students with business owners and professionals through the community and helps them develop a career path that can lead them home. The course was developed by NCTA Assistant Professor Krystle Friesen and successfully piloted in Perkins County and Garden County with support from NCF affiliated funds.

If your affiliated fund has youth engagement or entrepreneurship as grantmaking priorities or has supported a successful EntrepreneurShip Investigation camp or program in your community, this could be a logical next step or addition. To learn more about the course contact Krystle by email or by phone at 308-367-5259. An extra shout-out for Krystle who is also an affiliated fund leader with the Wallace Community Foundation Fund!

There’s at least one in every organization – that special volunteer who gives a little more, who is always there, who never gives up. Recognize that person in your affiliated fund or community by nominating them for a Governor’s Point of Light Award, a collaborative program of ServeNebraska and the Office of the Governor. The application deadline for this quarter is September 15. Download, complete and submit your nomination for someone who has made a big difference to your community! ServeNebraska is supported, in part, by the Nebraska Volunteer Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of NCF.

Is your affiliated fund is gearing up for fall activities? Get more done by using committees effectively. A working committee structure engages more people with your affiliated fund which helps you in many ways: more people know and talk about your affiliated fund, more donors and more future leaders! Watch the entire webinar from July 2011 or watch Part 1: Community Wisdom, success stories from the Nebraska City Community Foundation Fund and the Boone County Area Community Foundation Fund, or Part 2: Committee Structure, an overview of possible committee structures and information on recruiting and retaining committee members.

The Nebraska Community Foundation recently received reconfirmation that it has met the nation’s highest philanthropic standards for operational quality, integrity and accountability. The notice comes from the Council on Foundations, a national professional association based in Washington, D.C. This is similar to the “Good Housekeeping” seal of approval for community foundations. A news release was sent to all Nebraska papers late last month.

The article has appeared in many newspapers, but if it hasn’t been in yours, send it along to your local editor. Download the article, and remember to add that your Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation. This means that your affiliated fund operates under the same high standards and that your donors and community can be confident their trust in your affiliated fund and NCF is well placed.

There’s at least one in every organization – that special volunteer who gives a little more, who is always there, who never gives up. Recognize that person in your affiliated fund or community by nominating them for a Governor’s Point of Light Award. Each quarter, ServeNebraska and the Office of the Governor honor Nebraskans who have given exemplary volunteer service to their communities. The application deadline for this quarter is September 15. Download, complete and submit your nomination for someone who has made a big difference to your community! If selected, your nominee will be invited to receive their award from the Governor and First Lady at a ceremony at the the State Capitol. ServeNebraska is supported, in part, by the Nebraska Volunteer Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of NCF.

If your affiliated fund is gearing up for fall activities, get more done through the effective use of committees. A working committee structure engages more people in the work of your affiliated fund which helps you in lots of ways: more donors, more people talking about your affiliated fund and more future leaders! Watch the entire webinar from July 2011 or watch Part 1: Community Wisdom, success stories from the Nebraska City Community Foundation Fund and the Boone County Area Community Foundation Fund, or Part 2: Committee Structure, an overview of possible committee structures and information on recruiting and retaining committee members.

Save the Date: NCF’s 2012 Annual Banquet, Affiliated Fund EXPO and Affiliated Fund Training will be held November 8 in Kearney.

Doug Bereuter Praises NCF and our Affiliated Funds

On June 30, the Lincoln Journal Star carried an opinion piece written by retired Congressman and NCF Board member Doug Bereuter, praising the work of NCF and its affiliated funds. Since then, the piece has appeared in many newspapers across the state.

If the article has not yet appeared in your local paper, this is a great opportunity to have your community hear about our collaborative work from a well-known and admired public servant.

The best approach is to give your local editor a phone call, ask that they consider publishing the article, confirm his or her email address, and then send the piece along, either as an attachment or copied and pasted within the body of your email message. At the end of the article you can promote your Fund by adding: Editor’s note: Hometown Community Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation. If you have any questions or need guidance, call or email NCF Communications Director Reggi Carlson, 402-323-7331.

I recently received a thank-you note that was pretty special. A friend of mine was participating in a bike ride to raise money to fight hunger both here and in Africa. I gave money because 1) my friend asked me and 2) I believe in the cause. Soon after the ride, my friend sent a thank you note. It came promptly, was handwritten and told me how successful the ride was at raising money for the cause. I expected all those things. Here’s what made it special: it included a picture of my friend on the bike ride. Seeing my friend’s happy face was a delightful surprise that made me feel good about giving and more likely to give again. The picture was taken with a digital camera and printed from her computer, so it didn’t take much time or cost much money.

Think about the thank-you notes that your affiliated fund sends. What can you do to make them special and stand out in the minds and hearts of your donors?

(To see a picture of the thank you note, visit NCF’s Facebook page. (You do not have to have a Facebook account to see the picture. But if you do have a Facebook account and you haven’t liked our page, yet, give us a “Like”!)

Some of us fear fundraising because we’re not sure what to say when someone says no. But what if they say yes? This featured webinar from September 2010 will give you tools to help you know what to say in any situation. Jana Jensen, NCF’s Director of Community Fund Development-Western Nebraska, leads the discussion with affiliated fund leaders Steve Brown, Thedford Community Foundation Fund and Michelle Ross, Perkins County Community Foundation Fund. Steve and Michelle will talk about their experiences of approaching donors and asking for charitable contributions. Click here to watch the webinar.

Save the Date: NCF’s 2012 Annual Banquet, Affiliated Fund EXPO and Affiliated Fund Training will be held November 8 in Kearney.

NCF Featured in NET Program on Philanthropy

NCF President & CEO Jeff Yost was a guest on the most recent episode of Nebraska Philanthropy, a quarterly program of NET Television. This episode also features inspiring stories from Tilden, Pleasanton, Lincoln and Omaha. The NCF segment starts at 18:45, but we encourage you to watch the entire program. It aired on NET and NET2 late last month, but you can watch the program online through the NET website.

At the recent NCF Board meeting in Ord, Jana Jensen, Director of Community Fund Development-Western Nebraska, and Doug Friedli, Director of Community Fund Development-Eastern Nebraska, were recognized for ten years of outstanding service to NCF and its affiliated funds. Both Jensen and Friedli joined NCF in the Fall of 2002. See pictures of the recognition on NCF’s Facebook page. (You do not have to have a Facebook account to see the picture.) Congratulations and thanks, Jana and Doug!

Some of us fear fundraising because we’re not sure what to say when someone says no. But what if they say yes? This featured webinar from September 2010 will give you tools to help you know what to say whether you’re new at asking or you are an old pro. Jana Jensen, NCF’s Director of Community Fund Development-Western Nebraska leads the discussion. You’ll also hear from affiliated fund leaders Steve Brown with the Thedford Community Foundation Fund and Michelle Ross with the Perkins County Community Foundation Fund. Steve and Michelle will talk about their experiences of approaching donors and asking for charitable contributions. Click here to watch the webinar.

Why do twenty-first century volunteers not want to raise their hands? Turns out the new breed of volunteer wants to be asked. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 41.9% of the 64.3 million people who volunteered in the U.S. last year were asked to volunteer by someone in the organization.

New Fiscal Year, New Grantmaking Opportunities

The 2016 fiscal year for Nebraska Community Foundation began on July 1st. By now, all affiliated fund primary contacts should have received year-end financial statements by mail. Included in these statements is the amount available for granting from any endowed accounts. With that information, now is a great time to meet with your committee to strategize grantmaking opportunities. Be sure to get in contact with your fund development coordinator for some suggestions about strategic grantmaking!

Economic Development Peer Learning Session is Aug. 27

If you haven’t already, save the date! On Thursday, August 27th, NCF will host a peer learning session in Stuart and O’Neill focused on economic development strategies used by affiliated fund leaders in Holt County. All affiliated funds are invited to participate, but there will be a limited number of spaces available. Stay tuned for more information.

Key Investments Spark Campaign in Columbus

Columbus was the scene of an exciting press conference recently announcing a $2.4-million investment from two local families and The Sherwood Foundation creating a matching pool for four capital projects currently in progress in the community. The grants will flow through the Columbus Area Community Foundation Fund and the FAC will have $300,000 for other community collaboration and quality of life improvement projects and programs. Read the announcement about the Columbus Quality of Life Projects Campaign.

Newsletter Celebrates Diller Philanthropy

The culture of philanthropy in Diller is recognized far and wide through the Diller Community Foundation Fund’s annual publication, “Hometown Connections,” which highlights all of the ways many volunteers, nonprofits and donors give back to the community. Check out the 2015 Diller newsletter and consider how your affiliated fund could cultivate your community’s spirit of generosity in a similar way. Talk to your fund development coordinator or NCF’s Communications Director, Reggi Carlson, for some more ideas.

Partnerships Spur Red Cloud Economic Development

With the help of the Nebraska Community Foundation and other partners, the Red Cloud Community Foundation Fund has taken significant development leaps in the past few years to optimize community economic development opportunities. As a result of building its unrestricted endowment, doing excellent donor cultivation and stewardship, completing Action Planning, and partnering with two NCF donor-advised funds benefiting Red Cloud, the Fund has focused its attention on building an economic development strategy focused on heritage tourism and high-quality affordable childcare. Read the full story on page one of the Summer 2015 NCF Newsletter.

Save the Date: NCF’s 2012 Annual Banquet, Affiliated Fund EXPO and Affiliated Fund Training will be held November 8 in Kearney.

Remember you can always find back up e-newsletters online. Some email servers rejected the last e-newsletter (dated June 7), so if you did not receive one, find it on the NCF website.

NCF Board Sees Success in Burwell and Valley County

NCF Board and staff members visited with folks in Burwell and met in Ord on June 7 and 8. Dahn Hagge, coordinator of the Valley County Foundation Fund, talks about the efforts the Fund is making to encourage young people to stay in or return to Valley County. Click here to watch the video and see photos.

This month’s featured webinar “Make Your Mark!” can help your affiliated fund develop compelling brochures, fundraising letters and annual reports. The webinar teaches you how to inform, engage, and inspire your community. When marketing your hometown, you must figure out what makes it different than any other community. The more general you are the less interesting the subject will be. Use a creative slogan and make it your own. To view examples of effective print materials and learn more about how your fund can develop its own, watch our webinar online now!

Many charities do not focus on the younger generation because they feel as if they won’t donate as much money towards their cause. This recent study shows evidence otherwise. About 75 percent of young people who provided data for the 2012 Millennial Impact Report said they gave money to a nonprofit in 2011, while 70 percent said they have helped solicit donations by encouraging colleagues and others to support a cause.

Young donors, in fact, share the same motivations as older people. According to the study, many young donors who support a charity do so because they have developed a relationship with the organization. For more on this story, check it out online.

With technology becoming increasingly important in our everyday world, we can use it to our advantage to help gain volunteers. Social media is making it easier for charities to identity potential volunteers.

Begin to build lasting relationships with your volunteers to help make a difference in your community. Watch this podcast to learn more.

The information on this page was sent as an e-mail message to NCF affiliated fund leaders on June 21, 2012.

Rural Development Philanthropy

Rural Development Philanthropy (RDP) is a community-led approach that creates locally controlled assets and invests them to strengthen rural places. It builds a community’s ability to shape a better future and promote the well-being of all community members. RDP unites the tools of community, economic and resource development, engaging all people to come together across their differences with their voices, ideas, strategies, talents and giving.

Video: Active Hope

Leaders of several Nebraska Community Foundation affiliated funds share their thoughts on the power of “active hope”—imagining a better future and then taking action to effect positive change in their hometowns.

Save the Date: NCF’s 2012 Annual Banquet, Affiliated Fund EXPO and Affiliated Fund Training will be held November 8 in Kearney!

Successful Funds Attend More NCF Trainings

Each year, NCF looks at a number of variables related to affiliated fund performance such as endowment growth, impact grantmaking and leadership succession. NCF also tracks how many members of each fund attend the trainings we host such as annual training, regional meetings and webinars. We recently compared the data and discovered that our most successful funds are also the funds that have the most members attend NCF trainings most frequently. For example, the most effective funds have had almost four times as many attendances at the past three Annual Trainings than other funds. Of course, there are many factors that contribute to affiliated fund success, but think about this information when you decide whether or not to attend NCF’s next in-person training or online webinar.

It’s time to nominate a Youth, Adult or Group from your community for a prestigious Points of Light Award! Every quarter, ServeNebraska, in cooperation with the Office of the Governor, honors accomplishments of Nebraskans who have given exemplary volunteer service to their communities. ServeNebraska is supported, in part, by the Nebraska Volunteer Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of NCF. The application deadline for this quarter is June 15. Go online today to download, complete and submit your nomination for someone who has made a big difference to the people in your community!

Practicing good donor stewardship will help ensure that a one-time donor becomes a lifetime donor. Simple steps like saying thank you go a long way. Equally important is showing donors documented evidence of your wise money management and growing endowment. Donors who feel appreciated and know the benefits of your work will support your fund for many years to come.

To learn how other organizations have used donor stewardship to advance their causes, watch Susie Burdick of the Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center talk about what she’s learned over the many years she has spent fundraising. Also consult NCF’s website for more information on how to create and support healthy donor relationships.

“Make Your Mark!” with Impressive Print MaterialsWhile production of live webinars is on temporary hiatus, we’re featuring some of our most popular webinars – watch online at your convenience.

This month’s featured webinar “Make Your Mark!” can help your affiliated fund develop compelling brochures, fundraising letters and annual reports. First, decide the purpose of the material you are developing; not everything is about just raising money. For example, brochures are great tools to introduce your fund to community members. Brochures should contain information about your fund’s work, but they should also include a Call to Action that tells people what to do next if they want to support your fund. Tell people how joining your fund will benefit them, not just the fund. Finally, be sure to include your fund’s contact information, your NCF webpage address and an acknowledgement that you are an affiliated fund of NCF. To view examples of effective print materials and learn more about how your fund can develop its own, watch our webinar online now!

Gifting commodities instead of cash is a great opportunity for farmers because they can help their community, reduce their tax liability and still deduct all their production expenses. The Wausa Community Foundation Fund’s effort to expand its library is a great example of how to use gifts of grain to raise money.

The fund first collected donations of seed corn from local dealers and used these as door prizes at an event to inform farmers about the library plans. The fund then asked farmers to consider donating a bushel of grain for every acre they planted, and donations totaling more than $5,000 were immediately promised. The fund is hoping that more farmers, especially those who won the seed corn, will contribute gifts this fall. The local grain elevator is also helping by donating 10 cents for every bushel designated to charitable giving.

To find out how your community can be the next one to benefit from gifts of agricultural commodities, contact Les Long at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (402) 323-7346.

Thanking donors for their support is good manners, but can it really make a difference? Food for the Poor, one of the US’s largest nonprofit groups, had this question in mind when it sent one group of donors simple, yet sincere, thank-you cards and sent a second group of donors nothing. Both groups gave an almost equal number of gifts the next year, but people who received the thank-you cards gave almost $450,000 more!

Tom Ahern of Ahern Communications uses Food for the Poor’s story as an example of how taking the time to personally thank donors and tell them how their gifts affect their community really makes a difference. If you can tell donors exactly how their money helped, do so! Ahern says donors also like to see as much of their gift as possible go directly to community projects. Many donors would rather have their gifts spent on helping others instead of on impersonal thank-you cards or annual thank-you trinkets. Thanking donors once, sincerely and personally, often goes a lot further in building meaningful, and profitable, relationships than 12 months’ worth of impersonal thank-you cards.

A town with healthy residents is a town with a more productive work force and a better economic future. One of the keys to healthy families is good nutrition. Community organizations have the opportunity to partner with the USDA and access their food and nutrition assistance programs through the USDA’s new “Together We Can” program. This series of free, one-hour webinar training sessions will teach you more about the USDA’s nutrition programs to improve health in your community. The next webinar, “Together We Can Feed Kids During the Summer,” is scheduled for Wednesday, May 30. Go online to view the full webinar schedule and register today!

“Risky Business: Managing Risk for Your Affiliated Fund”
While production of live webinars is on temporary hiatus, we’re featuring some of our most popular webinars – watch online at your convenience.

Little details can make a big difference when it comes to managing charitable finances. Learn about the easy steps your fund can take to reduce its risk in this area and others by watching this month’s featured webinar, “Risky Business: Managing Risk for Your Affiliated Fund.” This webinar will walk you through the policies and procedures that NCF has in place to help you reduce financial, legal and reputational risks. You will also learn about how to educate donors and professional advisors about the proper language to use in gift designations. If your fund has ever wondered why NCF stresses the importance of attention to detail, watch this webinar to learn how our policies help you.

Sometimes affiliated funds just can’t wait to spread good news and announce their grants or scholarship recipients. Before you do this, contact your development staff person to request a review. The best time for NCF to approve proposed grants is before you send in a disbursement request. We do this to make sure the grants are in compliance with all laws and NCF policy. Scholarship payments that are not made in compliance with the law may be subject to a 20% tax, and NCF will not make any payments that would subject an affiliated fund to this tax.

Having NCF approve grants before announcing them will help avoid the embarrassment of not being able to award scholarships or grants your affiliated fund has already publicly announced. Contact Doug Friedli at (402) 323-7343 or Jana Jensen at (308) 588-6299 to request a grant review.

Beginning this July, NCF will automatically carry forward any portion of your fund’s endowment payout from the immediately preceding fiscal year that has not been granted. For example, in fiscal year 2013 (which begins this July 1), you will have your FY 2013 endowment payout and any unused FY 2012 endowment payout available to grant. No action will be required on your part to carry-forward the 2012 payout amount. If, on June 30, 2012, you have endowment payout remaining from FY 2010 or FY 2011, that amount will be reinvested in your endowment.

Disbursement requests that your fund wants made from FY2010 or FY2011 payouts must be received by NCF no later than 5 p.m. CT, Friday, June 22. If you have any questions, contact Diane Wilson at (402) 323-7333 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

If your affiliated fund has not yet returned its scholarship administration packet, please do so as soon as possible. Even if your affiliated fund does not award scholarships, there is a one-page form to return to NCF. To ensure compliance with the Pension Protection Act, a fund may not begin the scholarship selection process until NCF has approved its Scholarship Selection Committee. Please visit our website’s scholarship page if you need another copy of the forms.

“Risky Business: Managing Risk for Your Affiliated Fund”
While production of live webinars is on temporary hiatus, we’re featuring some of our most popular webinars – watch online at your convenience.

Your affiliated fund is doing a great job creating a better future for your community, but are you taking unnecessary risks that put all your accomplishments at risk? Find out by watching this month’s featured webinar, “Risky Business: Managing Risk for Your Affiliated Fund.”

This webinar explores how funds can decrease financial, legal, regulatory and reputational risks. For example, did you know that NCF provides an insurance policy for its funds to help decrease their legal risk? Well, we do, but in order for this insurance to apply to public events hosted by a fund, you must submit an insurance request form to NCF three weeks before the event. Take the opportunity to learn more and watch this webinar online now!

In honor of National Volunteer Month, NCF says “Thank you” to all of its fund leaders who have volunteered countless hours toward helping their communities! Without you, our work would not be possible. Spread the thanks by celebrating the volunteers in your community. Not sure how what to do? Here’s a 139 different ways to say “thank you”.

Funds Must Pay and Charge Sales Tax

While NCF and its affiliated funds are “tax exempt” for income tax purposes, we are not exempt from either paying or charging Nebraska state and local sales tax. As a result, when making purchases for your affiliated fund, make sure the vendor has included sales tax. If sales tax has not been included, use tax may be required to be remitted to the State. NCF and its affiliated funds must also charge sales tax when selling items for fundraising purposes (including at silent or live auctions) or charging for admission to events such as dinners and fundraisers.

NCF was recently audited by the Nebraska Department of Revenue for sales and use tax compliance, and a letter regarding the audit and sales and use tax compliance was sent to the key contact for each affiliated fund. View the letter and additional information regarding sales and use tax on the NCF website. If your fund is planning an event or you have questions about sales and use tax, contact Les Long at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or Diane Wilson at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Impact Grantmaking: “Begin with the End in Mind”
While production of live webinars is on temporary hiatus, we’re featuring some of our most popular webinars – watch online at your convenience.

Imagine your community 20 years from today. What is it like? What do you want to preserve and what do you want to change? Watch this month’s featured online webinar, “Begin with the End in Mind,” to help answer these questions and learn more about proactive grantmaking. Awarding grants is not just giving away money; you are making investments in the future of your community, so make sure that those investments help build the future you want to see.

The HomeTown Competitiveness (HTC) website is new, improved and back online! If you want to learn how to create a better future for your community by building on the assets you already have, then this is the perfect website for you. Since forming in 2002, HTC has been helping rural communities develop local leadership, increase community philanthropy, energize entrepreneurs and engage youth. Visit our HTC website to learn how other communities have benefitted from HTC and what HTC can do for you.

Applying for outside grants can be a good way to raise funds, but affiliated funds must run all grant applications by NCF. This includes any requests to corporations that run their giving programs through a foundation (Wal-Mart, for example). Contact your development staff member before you start a grant application for guidance on how to be successful. NCF must review, approve and sign all grant applications before they are submitted. All grant acceptance letters must also be forwarded to NCF for review and signature. To learn more about grant application guidelines, view our online webinar, “Bringing Outside Resources Home

This year’s regional meetings were a great success, but we want to make them even better in the future! If you attended a regional meeting and would like to help improve the meetings, please fill out our brief online evaluation. You have until 5 p.m. MT on Friday, March 30 to take this survey.

Use Your Transfer of Wealth Data to Open Eyes!

Editorials about NCF’s Transfer of Wealth study have been published in newspapers across the state. Make your case for your affiliated fund! Download an editorial template that you can customize with your own county’s data, and ask your local editor to publish it. It’s a great awareness builder! To access your county-level data, visit our TOW page online and use the county profile drop-down menu at the bottom of the page.

Impact Grantmaking: “Begin with the End in Mind”
While production of live webinars is on temporary hiatus, we’re featuring some of our most popular webinars – watch online at your convenience.

Raising funds can be hard, but giving them away effectively can be even harder. To make sure your grants have the most positive, long-term impact on your community, watch this month’s featured online webinar, “Begin with the End in Mind”. The key to impact grantmaking is knowing what difference you want to make and awarding grants with that result in mind. This webinar will walk you through the steps your FAC can follow to ensure that the grants you make move your community closer to the vision you hold for it.

The Governor’s Conference on Rural Development works to create a more sustainable state by building leadership, community and economic development capacity in rural Nebraska. ServeNebraska, which has an affiliated fund with NCF, is presenting this event in partnership with the Nebraska Rural Development Commission and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. This year’s conference will be held on April 18 at the Holiday Inn Express in North Platte. Learn more about the conference and register online.

In the last week or so, several thousand rural Nebraskans received UNL’s Center for Applied Rural Innovation annual Nebraska Rural Poll. This poll asks rural Nebraskans about the issues that are important to them, and two of this year’s questions are based on NCF’s Transfer of Wealth study. The data from this poll will help local and state leaders better understand the issues, challenges and concerns of Nebraska’s rural citizens. If you received the questionnaire, please remember to fill it out and return it by mail or complete it online.

Do you have volunteers within your community who are especially dedicated to creating a better future for your hometown? Then it’s time to recognize them during National Volunteers Month this April! Whether it’s with a small ceremony or a simple thank you letter, it’s always good to let people know you appreciate all their hard work. If you have an affiliated fund volunteer you’d like to recognize, post their picture and tell people why you think they’re special on NCF’s Facebook page.

Continue celebrating National Volunteers Month by encouraging people to volunteer. To learn more about incorporating volunteers into your fund’s work, watch our online webinar, “Many Hands Make Light Work”.

NCF has updated its disbursement request form. Download an updated copy now, or visit our Find a Form Page online. Please discard all old copies of the form and use this new form to submit all future disbursement requests. The new form has the notation “Revised 04/2012” in the lower right hand corner.

As a benefit of your affiliation, NCF will facilitate an Action Planning process that can help your fund envision a better future for your community and put goals and plans in place to reach that future. These will guide your fund’s future decisions so you have the greatest impact possible on your community. In a survey sent to FAC leaders who previously participated in NCF’s Action Planning process, 100 percent of respondents said they think the Action Planning process has already or will make their FAC more successful and effective.

The Action Planning process does require a time commitment from your FAC, but you will reap benefits of increased engagement and focus. Several funds are already scheduling Action Planning for the summer and fall. If you have questions about or would like to schedule Action Planning, contact Doug Friedli at (402) 323-7343 or Jana Jensen at (308) 588-6299.

It’s time to nominate a youth, adult or group from your community for a prestigious Points of Light Award! Every quarter, ServeNebraska, in cooperation with the Office of the Governor, honors accomplishments of Nebraskans who have given exemplary volunteer service to their communities. ServeNebraska is supported, in part, by the Nebraska Volunteer Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of NCF. The application deadline for this quarter is June 15. Go online today to download, complete and submit your nomination for someone who has made a big difference to the people in your community!

“Risky Business: Managing Risk for Your Affiliated Fund”
While production of live webinars is on temporary hiatus, we’re featuring some of our most popular webinars – watch online at your convenience.

Can your affiliated fund legally host lotteries or raffles? Does your affiliated fund have to pay sales taxes on purchases? Can your fund refer to itself as a foundation? If you don’t know the answers to questions like these, then you may be putting all of your affiliated fund’s hard work at risk. Watch this month’s featured webinar, “Risky Business: Managing Risk for Your Affiliated Fund,” to learn the answers to these questions and many more about managing your fund’s risk. NCF has several tools to help your affiliated fund decrease its regulatory, legal, financial and reputational risk – this webinar is a great place to start learning about them.

The NPower Leadership Conference is a great leadership development opportunity for Nebraska youth entering grades 6 through 12. The conference includes experiential learning activities, mentor-mentee partnerships and development of personal missions and goals. The conference then ends with action planning that will help students put the skills learned at the conference and to use back in their communities.

The three-day conference takes place at the Leadership Center in Aurora in July and costs $150 per student. Please promote this opportunity in their communities and consider providing financial assistance to any student who wants to attend. Investing in these students means investing in your future community leaders.

Regional Meetings will come to an end with our final meeting in O’Neill on March 20. We thank all participants who attended a meeting and hope you took away valuable information for your funds. For those who attended a regional meeting but have not yet filled out our brief evaluation, please do so online. NCF will use your feedback to make sure that future events are even more useful for you.

Thank you to all the participants who joined yesterday’s “Dollars and Sense: Training for FAC Treasurers” webinar and helped make it a success. This webinar will be available online soon and is a great resource to help you understand the financial processes required to maintain your fund. Although this webinar is intended for treasurers, the more FAC members who understand your fund’s finances, the better, so watch this newsletter for the link to watch it online.

Have you ever made an ask of a donor who has the interest, the capacity and the relationship with your affiliated fund, but the donor still says “No”? This is exactly what happened to Mark Hurtubise, President and CEO of the Inland Northwest Community Foundation, when he was new at fundraising. Watch this video and hear Mark’s story about when a “No” is really just a “Not Now.” Learn what questions he asked the donor and how he turned an initial “No” into a six-figure gift.

The information on this page was sent as an e-mail message to NCF affiliated fund leaders on March 15, 2012.

Guidelines for Fundraising Events

Affiliated funds (AFs) planning a fundraising event should call their NCF Development Staff contact to discuss plans for the event. This allows us to make sure that all aspects of your affiliated fund’s event are in accordance with the law, prudent risk management and NCF policies and procedures.

This Fundraising Event Checklist must be completed for every event conducted by an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation that includes fundraising elements.

Following are the key considerations for a typical fundraising event:

Ticket Sales

Charges for admissions to a meal, entertainment or other event are subject to Nebraska sales tax. Your tickets and/or solicitations should clearly state “price includes sales tax”.

To the extent that you are charging for a meal, your purchase of the food from a caterer or restaurant will be a purchase for resale, so will not be subject to sales tax. Contact the NCF Accounting department for a “resale certificate” to provide to the caterer so that they will not be required to charge you sales tax.

Only in unusual circumstances will any part of the ticket price represent a charitable contribution, as the amount paid that represents the fair market value (not your AF’s cost) is not a charitable contribution. If you believe that this might apply to your event, contact Les or Diane at NCF to discuss. Specific language will be required on your tickets and/or solicitations if a portion of the ticket price represents a contribution.

Insurance – There is always some risk of injury or property damage at an event. NCF has liability insurance that covers our affiliated funds, but only if we advise the insurance company of the event in advance. A Special Events Questionnaire must be completed for most events at least two weeks prior to the event, and can be obtained from the NCF Accounting department. In some circumstances, an additional premium may be charged for your event, and will be borne by your AF.

Auctions/Sales of Items for Fundraising - Items sold at auction, even for fundraising purposes, are subject to sales tax to the extent they would be subject to sales tax if sold by a retailer. Contact Les or Diane at NCF to discuss the taxability of specific items. Many fundraising auctions include both a silent auction and a live auction. Typically, lower-value items are sold at the silent auction and items with a higher value are sold at live auction.

Items sold at silent auction will be deemed to have been sold for their fair market value. As a result, there will be no charitable contribution element and the full sales price will be subject to sales tax (if the item sold is taxable). Taxable items include tangible property (including gift baskets, except when more than 50% of the total cost of the basket and its contents consists of exempt food items) and certain services. Any program, catalog, signs or other materials for your silent auction should not state a fair market value for the items, and should note that the prices include sales tax as applicable.

Items sold at a live auction sometimes sell for more than their fair market value. In these situations, the purchaser may be able to receive a charitable contribution deduction for the excess of what they pay over the fair market value of the item. You will need to know the fair market value of each item included in the live auction in order to determine whether any portion of the payment might qualify for a charitable contribution for the purchaser. In the case of donated items, the donor business is typically in the best position to tell you the fair market value of the item (note that they should include sales tax in determining the fair market value). If your AF purchases items for your auction, the purchase price (plus sales tax) will likely be the fair market value of the item unless you receive a discount that would not be available to an ordinary purchaser. Any program, catalog, signs or other materials for your silent auction should state a fair market value for the items, and should note that the prices include sales tax as applicable. For example, if your AF sells an item for $1,500 that has a fair market value (including sales tax) of $1,200, the purchaser would be eligible for a charitable contribution deduction of $300 and sales tax would be calculated based on the $1,200. If no fair market is stated for bidders at your auction, however, the full amount paid will be subject to sales tax.

Alcohol - If you wish to have alcohol at an event, it must be provided and served at a cash bar by a third party with a liquor license. No proceeds from the sale of alcohol may come to your affiliated fund. You may not pay for alcohol with affiliated fund money.

Raffles and Lotteries – A Nebraska gaming license is required in order for nonprofit organizations to conduct raffles or lotteries. NCF does not qualify for a charitable gaming license, so NCF and its affiliated funds may not conduct raffles or lotteries. If you have any questions about whether an activity you are considering might be “charitable gaming” within the scope of Nebraska law, contact NCF well in advance of your event.

NCF staff can provide advice based on what has worked for events held by other affiliated funds, and can help you avoid problems as you plan your event. The NCF Accounting department can explain how to report the proceeds from your event in order to properly record sales tax and maximize the benefits of charitable contribution deductions that may be available to your supporters.

Register now for NCF’s next webinar designed to assist FAC Treasurers. The functions of the treasurer are vital to operating your fund in compliance with federal and state regulations and NCF guidelines and policies. This lays the groundwork for affiliated fund success. If you are the treasurer for your affiliated fund, this webinar is a must. It’s also important that more than one person understand the financial processes required to maintain your fund, so invite your fellow FAC members to watch, participate and learn.

The start of spring means it’s also time for many funds to award grants. Doing this well is no easy process, so here are a few tools to help you out.

The best way to have a long-term impact on your community is to know what difference you want to make and award grants with that result in mind. Because of this, even at the start of your grantmaking process, always have your end goal in mind. Watch this online webinar, “Begin With the End in Mind,” to learn about how to develop your FAC’s grantmaking philosophy and use that to guide your decisions to make impactful grants. Consulting the Seven Principals of Impact Grantmaking will also ensure that your awards positively affect your community.

As you delve deeper into the grantmaking process, it is sometimes difficult to create applications or write those decline letters. NCF makes this easy with its online grantmaking tools and templates to help you at all stages of your grantmaking. You can also pick up a few pointers by reading about how other funds have made impactful grants in their areas.

Finally, throughout your grantmaking process, it is important to remain in compliance with all laws. IRS rules dictate that NCF and its funds can only award grants to charitable causes specified by their donors. For more information on this, view our FAQs online or contact the NCF office.

If this e-newsletter is addressed to “Dear Affiliated Fund Leader,” it will be the last one you receive. You can prevent this by emailing us your first and last names so we can add you to our database. Any entries in our e-newsletter list for which we do not have first and last names will be deleted. If you want to stop receiving NCF’s e-newsletter, let us know and we’ll take you off our mailing list. Please send all information and requests to Angie Parrish at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Regional meetings are coming to an end, but you can still register online for meetings in Hebron on March 15 and O’Neill on March 20. For those who have already attended a regional meeting but have not yet filled out an evaluation, please do so online. NCF will use your feedback to make sure that future events are even more useful for you.

The information on this page was sent as an e-mail message to NCF affiliated fund leaders on March 1, 2012.

Donor-Advised Fund Policy & Guidelines

Adopted by the Nebraska Community Foundation Board of Directors
Amended July 1, 2014

I. Purpose

The purpose of this Donor-Advised Fund Policy & Guidelines (“Policy”) is to guide the Nebraska Community Foundation (“NCF”) staff and donors in complying with the law applicable to donor-advised funds (“DAFs”) and with NCF administrative policies while achieving donors’ charitable goals.

II. Scope

This Policy applies to all funds or accounts of the Nebraska Community Foundation that meet the federal tax law definition of a “donor-advised fund”. Pursuant to federal tax law, a fund will be a donor-advised fund if it has all three of the following characteristics:

The fund is separately identified with reference to the contribution(s) of a donor or donors

The fund is owned and controlled by NCF (this is true for all affiliated funds)

The donor or persons appointed by the donor have, or reasonably expect to have, the privilege of providing advice with respect to the fund’s investments or distributions

III. Establishing Donor-Advised Funds

A DAF will be created with an affiliated fund agreement between the donor and NCF. Donors may be individuals, families, businesses or charitable organizations. The fund agreement will name advisor(s) who may recommend grants from the DAF. A DAF may be nonpermanent (all contributions may be expended), permanently endowed (invested with only a portion of the earnings and appreciation available for expenditure, in accordance with the NCF Investment Policy), or may have both a nonpermanent account and a permanently endowed account. A minimum contribution of $25,000 is required to establish a DAF.

The donor may name the fund, subject to approval by the Nebraska Community Foundation. Unless the donor requests that a fund be anonymous, it will be listed by name in NCF’s annual report. The DAF and its advisor will be identified to grant recipients unless the advisor requests anonymity on a case-by-case basis.

IV. Contributions to Donor-Advised Funds

Contributions to a fund are irrevocable. The assets of DAFs are owned and controlled by the Nebraska Community Foundation. Contributions may be made in many forms, including cash, securities, real estate and retirement plan assets, subject to acceptance by NCF. The NCF Gift Acceptance Policy & Guidelines provides information regarding the forms that gifts can take. Donors may establish or add to a DAF through a bequest or other estate gift. Contributions may be added at any time and in any amount, subject to acceptance by NCF.

Excess Business Holdings

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (“PPA”) precludes DAFs from holding more than a minor interest in a business when the donor, fund advisor or a related party (“disqualified person”) also holds an interest in the business. This is known as the “excess business holdings” rule. Generally, the excess business holdings rule states that a DAF and persons who are disqualified persons with respect to the DAF may not together hold more than a twenty percent interest in a business enterprise (twenty percent of the voting stock of an incorporated business; twenty percent of the profits interest of a partnership or joint venture or the beneficial interest of a trust or similar entity; or any interest in a sole proprietorship or unincorporated entity). DAFs receiving gifts of interests in a business enterprise after the effective date of the PPA (August 17, 2006) will have five years to divest holdings that are above the permitted amount.

NCF will identify any potential gift to a DAF that would qualify as an excess business holding and will notify the prospective donor of the PPA requirements prior to the contribution. NCF will monitor any such holding and will dispose of any excess business holding prior to the five-year time limit (or within ten years if the Treasury Department grants an additional five-year holding period), as required by law.

V. Distributions from Donor-Advised Funds

Donor advisors may recommend grants to qualified charitable organizations. Qualified charitable organizations generally include those organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that are not private foundations, and certain governmental entities. These include charitable, religious and educational organizations, as well as school districts, public libraries and other units of government. In general, NCF does not allow grants to non-charitable organizations from DAFs. Given that NCF serves Nebraska, it is expected that the majority of grant dollars from each DAF will benefit Nebraska charitable organizations.

Donor advisors may make grant recommendations by completing, signing and submitting a “Donor-Advised Fund Grant Recommendation Form” to NCF. The Nebraska Community Foundation, in accordance with tax law, retains final discretion over disbursements from all donor-advised funds. The minimum amount for a grant from a donor-advised fund is $250.

Once a grant recommendation is received, NCF staff will perform due diligence to verify that the organization is a qualified charity. An officer of NCF will sign the DAF Grant Recommendation Form to indicate approval of a grant.

Grant checks will be accompanied by a letter from NCF indicating the DAF that is the source of the grant (unless anonymity has been requested) and confirming that no benefits have been or will be provided to the donor, advisor or related parties in connection with the grant.

Grant Restrictions and Prohibitions

IRS rules preclude the following types of distributions from DAFs:

A DAF grant cannot be used to satisfy all or a portion of any pledge or other financial obligation of the donor, advisors or any related parties. Advisors may recommend that a grant be paid out over multiple years, subject to NCF’s grant approval and annual due diligence.

Grants from a DAF cannot result in the donor, advisors or any related parties receiving goods or services or any benefit that is more than incidental. Prohibited benefits include event tickets, memberships, meals, preferred parking, preferred seating, discounted merchandise or other preferential treatment from a donee organization.

DAFs may not make any grants to individuals, such as scholarships, emergency hardship grants or disaster relief grants. This includes payments directly to an individual or to an entity for the benefit of a specified individual (e.g., to a university for a scholarship for a particular student). If donors wish to grant scholarships, a different type of fund can be established.

Donors, advisors or any related parties may not receive grants, loans, compensation or similar payments (including expense reimbursements) from a DAF.

Expenditure Responsibility

Pursuant to IRS rules, certain types of grants from DAFs require the exercise of “expenditure responsibility”. Expenditure responsibility is a process designed to ensure that a grant is used for charitable purposes and that NCF maintains appropriate oversight and documentation of certain grants from DAFs. Expenditure responsibility is required for grants to (1) organizations not described in Internal Revenue Code Section 170(b)(1)(A); (2) type III supporting organizations that are not functionally integrated with the supported organization; and (3) supporting organizations of any type if the supported organization is controlled by the donor, advisor or a related party.

In general, NCF will not make grants from DAFs that require expenditure responsibility. Because circumstance may occasionally warrant such a grant, the NCF staff shall establish procedures for and shall exercise expenditure responsibility in compliance with the law.

Adopted by the Board of Directors December 13, 2011
Amended June 8, 2011
Amended July 1, 2014

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.

The Ag Advantage

Cattlemen Challenge

With today’s high commodity prices and record farm income, many Nebraska ag producers are using grain and livestock to make charitable gifts. The Brown County Community Foundation Fund is capitalizing on this opportunity with its Cattlemen Challenge.